Stamped

by zabrak12

A self-insert wakes up in Rand's body on the day of Winternight, hours before the Trollocs attack. Stuck with no memories of Rand, nor his previous life, he instead has the imperfect memories of a partial reading of the series, and a mysterious stamp that appears around women. Inspired by the Waifu Catalog.

4. Chapter 4

We left Baerlon with the Wisdom two hours before sundown, nothing blocking our way. I was in a daze for most of the start. An awful start and middle to the day, though the latter was entirely my fault, ending with us running away. I prayed to the Creator we would pass Shadar Logoth without stepping foot inside its cursed walls. I did not think I would handle it very well.

We made swift time down the Caemlyn Road, Lan had us gallop pass wagon trains and around travelers until sunset, then we dropped back into a canter in the twilight, then a fast walk as night finally fell. Min had ridden next to me, braving the glares of the Two Rivers women, but we spoke little, as she must have sensed my poor mood. Two hours past sunset, we stopped for a small amount of rest. Moiraine tended to the horses with the One Power, pushing their fatigue away, while we all dismounted and took some time to rest and chat.

It was there, where we had stopped in that forested copse around a small clearing with a pond that allowed the horses to drink, that Min spoke quietly to me away from the others. We leaned against the broad trunk of an oak tree, its leafless branches reaching into the night sky like dark, bony fingers clawing for the stars. "So, sheepherder. Tell me about this book you read that somehow has my visions in it, and I'll tell you what I see around you. That was the deal right?"

It was not quite the deal, but I nodded, too tired to argue. It had been a long day. "What I tell you next is the truth as I know it, alright? I'm not joking or trying to scare you. It is simply the truth." I was going to tell her everything. She deserved it.

She nodded, her eyes alight with curiosity in the dark of the night.

"The day of Winternight, nine days ago now, I woke up with no memories but for those of a series of fourteen books, four of which I never read but only knew of. They tell the tale of me, of Rand al'Thor, the… the tale of the Dragon Reborn, if I hadn't fallen and hit my head, losing my memories like I did. I had believed it was a form of Foretelling, prophecy with the One Power, though recently it has not turned out to be quite right. They tell the tale of an Age like ours, but not quite. A previous turning of our Age, if you can believe it." She stared at me, not responding. After a couple seconds of silence I continued, nervously. "I'm telling the truth. The book Rand met you in Baerlon. You scared him, told him a bunch of spooky things you saw, generally teased him and freaked him out. That's why I was having fun guessing the things you saw, it was a bit of revenge. And book Rand met Padan Fain too, that man that Lan… Well in the book Lan is not there, and Rand tells him where they are staying, and the inn gets burned down. That's part of why I needed to make sure…" I shook my head. "Anyway, I'm hoping the inn doesn't burn down this time, and that we don't have to visit Shadar Logoth," I finished rambling as she still stared at me, before visibly steeling herself.

"Could you repeat that sentence about the tale these books of yours tell? I don't think I quite heard you right," Min said tightly.

"Of Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn? Look, I know it sounds… I know it sounds bad, but it is the truth. I may be a fool for telling you, but I won't lie or obfuscate the truth with you, Min. Not with you," I said, pleading quietly. "I've done that too much since I woke up."

"What does Moiraine say about it? This 'Dragon' nonsense." False joviality filled her voice, but she was eyeing me as if I were a wild animal that had suddenly appeared beside her.

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry. So I snorted and looked away, surreptitiously wiping a tear that had formed. My heart felt tied to knots. I turned back to face her and tried to adopt a joking smile, but it felt wrong. "Given that she's been looking for me ever since I was born, I think she finds it satisfying that I came begging for her help. I'm sure she thinks its proper, the Dragon Reborn begging for help from an Aes Sedai."

Min stared for a long moment, emotions warring, then giggled, a beautiful sound that tugged on my heart, and relieved the tension in my body. "I bet she does. That woman would have kings at her feet if she was able." The giggle caught the attention of Nynaeve, who glanced over at us and twisted her face as if she had tasted something bitter, before turning and loudly muttering to Egwene. I ignored her, staring off into the night sky.

"Mmm, she is related to royalty, if you did not know. King Laman was her uncle. I was thinking about installing her on the Sun Throne, in the future," I mused.

Min's eyes carefully scrutinized me. "So, you want me to believe you truly are the Dragon Reborn? Is that why you don't seem worried about revealing you channeled to an Aes Sedai? Or are you simply seeking gentling, and pretending to be mad?"

I shook my head. "I am not mad. I truly am the Dragon Reborn. I have already fulfilled prophecy. You may ask Moiraine, quietly, away from the others. Tell her I told you. She may not like it, but you are to be my wife, I will not hide secrets from you."

Min peered at me quizzically. "You don't seem very hung up about your situation, Rand. I would have expected more… wailing and gnashing of teeth or at least some angst. Most do not consider the Dragon Reborn to be a very happy figure, being the reincarnation of Lews Therin Kinslayer, the man who broke the world. And the prophecies, what I've heard of them, don't speak of much happy things either."

I sighed and settled back against the tree. "I read the books with the Rand in angst about it, and I understand why. It is a terrible thing to consider, and the very act we must accomplish to defeat the Dark One, channeling, taints us and twists us. But thinking back on it now, it just makes me wish Rand would admit the truth to himself instead of being stubborn and fleeing he destiny. So much needs to be done, so much needs to be put right, and fixed. The Trolloc Wars and the War of a Hundred Years broke the Westlands. The nations are fading remnants of what they once were, clinging on to survival, in the face of the Last Battle. And even when I acknowledged who I was in these books, I tried to go it all alone instead of relying on people like Perrin, Moiraine and you, Min. Goose-brained, so bloody goose-brained. Rand could be so wool-headed, and so am I. I know I am a wool-headed fool, I learned that quite well today, believe it or not." Min snorted. "I know what I am, who I am, I don't need the why. I don't need to moan and groan, I just need to live and hopefully succeed. And it is something I've known practically my whole life, as it is now. It's just a fact of my existence, after the fall."

We sat in the quiet of the night for a long minute, the chatter of others on the other side of the clearing, the wind rustling the trees, and the calls of nightbirds a soothing backdrop to our intense discussion. The moon was in the third quarter, a white sickle in the sky, and the stars glinted cold and distant. I noticed that Egwene kept eyeing us, speaking quietly to Nynaeve. A tug on my shirt brought me back to Min.

"That Min saw Rand die, didn't she? A funeral bier surrounded by three women, you said." Her voice was soft and sad, looking at me with those big, soulful eyes. So she believes me now?

I did not answer directly. "He was mad, went mad early on, I think, at least a little bit. I don't want to end up like him, paranoid and distrusting of everyone, of even my own father. I want to rely on others. I want to stay sane. I want to live. But I don't even know if I can trust my friends with the whole truth. Neither exactly reacted well in the books to the news, and we haven't been bound together by danger and our quest near enough to trust that Mat won't simply spill the beans one night in a tavern. But do I rely on the book, whose knowledge is of an Age not quite like ours, but vast and detailed, or my almost a week of knowing them?"

"Rand, those are good goals to have," Min said, seriously. "I want you to rely on others, and live as well, if we are to be together for the rest of our lives. And you should put that trust in your friends—maybe it will be rewarded, or maybe not, but you'll never know if you do not try. They deserve that much, I think." Her voice then became coy. "Though tell me, what would have been my fate, had you not hit your head? What were Rand and I, in this tale?"

Min slid closer to me, our arms touching, our faces and hands close. My cheeks heated. She was closer than I remember any woman being to me, besides the hugs Egwene gave me, ones that I never fully indulged because I foolishly thought our fates would be the same. I felt frozen, I felt filled with heat, my heart beat rapidly. Damn me, and damn my body for reacting like a callow boy! But what else can I be, with my amnesia?

I squirmed, feeling the heat of her breath on my cheek. She was to be my wife, and I would tell her the truth, no matter how nervous she was making me. "He loved you and two others. An Aiel woman, Aviendha, and the Andoran Daughter-Heir, Elayne. But you, you were always with him, after a certain point. I think you were special to him—more than the other two—though he loved you all." I blushed just saying the words and even in the waning moon I could see the color on her cheeks, and her flattered smile. She made to move even closer.

Moiraine cleared her throat. I whipped my head over to look as she stood next to me with hands on hips, having approached where we stood without us noticing. "Is there anything else you two wish to discuss in private, or can we make ready to leave?" she said in an imperious tone, cold and distant, seeming much taller than her five foot and two inches height would suggest. So it seemed our discussion was over,.

The group watched the two of us, most on their horses already. Egwene stared daggers at me, and I flushed, shame in the pit of my stomach and looked away. I am truly sorry I've hurt you this way. I did not mean to, but that doesn't change the pain you are feeling. I'm sorry. I am a fool. I could not say those words, however. Not yet. It was too soon. I locked all thoughts about what could have been tightly away. They were useless now that Min made her viewings known. Egwene would not be mine, ever. We would only be friends. I would need to apologize to her, however, when we got some time alone. I needed to apologize to Mat as well. These are the thoughts that dominated my head, as I mounted Cloud.

We traveled for hours yet through the night at a fast walk, sometimes a canter when the clouds were gone, and moonlight revealed a stretch of clear straight road, and when Lan approved it, of course. We passed by few camps in the night, some merely a campfire and sleeping rolls and horses in the dark, others nearly fortified, the wagons drawn into a squares or rectangles, somewhat protecting the merchants and their guards from the elements and from sight.

All was still pitch-dark when the Warder finally led us off the road and dismounted. I estimated there were no more than a couple of hours till dawn. We were all exhausted as we hobbled the horses, still saddled, and made a cold camp. Min made to sleep next to me, but Mat and Perrin took either side before she could.

"What exactly are you thinking, Rand?" Mat whispered to me once we settled into our bedrolls. "You're meant to marry Egwene, but you're all over the new girl. I honestly cannot believe it."

"It's very rude to treat Egwene this way," Perrin added, from the other side of me.

I nodded, though they probably couldn't see it with no fire. "It was, and I need to apologize to Egwene, explain what is happening. And to you, Mat. I should not have been so flippant about your worries. They are valid, as for all we know Moiraine Sedai could be being manipulated, or even different from what I know. My memories have been proven wrong recently, and I need to be more understanding. Thank you for looking out for a fool like me."

The two are quiet for a long moment, then Perrin spoke up.

"That is a fine apology, Rand. Don't you think so, Mat?" Perrin said, leadingly.

"We're all good, Rand. I knew you were just being stubborn. No need to apologize." Mat mumbled, then his voice brimmed with curiosity. "But seriously, what is going on with you, and Egwene and the new girl?"

"Okay, this is a lot to take in," I said, preparing myself. I would tell them the truth, the parts they needed to hear to understand my actions to not think me a philanderer. "But I believed I knew Egwene and I were not meant to be from the start, when I woke up, because the information in my memories. I believed I knew the other women that will hold my heart, Min being one of them. I told this to Egwene, not about Min, but that our love was not in the Pattern and that we were just friends. She obviously still holds feelings for me and did not listen, which I should not have expected her to, anyway. So when Min and I got along because I knew she was to be my wife, I think it upset her..." I trailed off. "However, Egwene has unbraided her hair, and is learning to be an Aes Sedai. I am a man who can channel. We are not returning to the Two Rivers. We will not marry. We are meant for others. And I am a fool. That is the truth of the mess."

"Min is one of them, one of your wives," Mat repeated, incredulous, whispering fiercely. "Are you mad already?" I winced. "You barely know this girl, and you think you're going to marry her? And there's supposed to be more? Does Min know?! Light, Rand!"

"I am not mad, Mat. Not now, and hopefully never," I bit out. "I don't even love her yet, and yes, there's more. There's five, Light help me. And Min knows, knows more than I do. She sees things, sees the future, sees fates around people, in an aura. She has seen the faces of my wives."

"I don't understand," grumbled Perrin, confused. "I really don't understand you sometimes, Rand. How could someone even know that? And what is wrong with Egwene? She is prettier than Min, in my opinion, and from the Two Rivers, not a city girl like Min, nor a stranger. And if Egwene is an Aes Sedai you can be her Warder. That sounds like a perfect solution to me, instead of going on about fate and the Pattern and not doing anything about it."

"I just can't, Perrin. It not Egwene's fault, it just is. It's a One Power thing, a Foretelling. I knew we would not be together because of it," I lied, unable to tell them of my pig-headedness. What would they think of me then? Light, if I had not been so foolish. I shoved the thought away again. Do better next time, Rand al'Thor. "I told this to Egwene, but since she still harbored hopes of her own, then I should have been more clear. But it cannot change, Perrin. It just won't, I won't and she won't." I yawned from exhaustion and turned on my side, facing Mat. This conversation was going to go nowhere and Lan would only give us a few hours. "Let's just get some sleep,. Its late, and we all did not sleep well last night."

"Blood and ashes, Rand, five wives sounds like a living nightmare. I do not envy you in the slightest." Mat gave an exasperated sigh. "One of five," he muttered in quiet horror that made me stifle a laugh.

Perrin shook his head. "I don't understand you sometimes," he said, with a note of finality. That killed my humor, and it took me twenty minutes before my exhaustion overcame my thoughts and let me sleep.

It was still the dark just before dawn, but once we rolled our blankets and strapped behind our saddles Lan had us riding east again. As the sun rose, we made a bleary-eyed breakfast on bread and cheese and water, eating while we rode, huddled in our cloaks against the wind. All except Lan, that is. He ate, but he was not bleary-eyed, and he did not huddle. He had changed back into his shifting cloak, and it whipped around him, fluttering through grays and greens, and the only mind he paid it was to keep it clear of his sword-arm. His face remained without expression, but his eyes searched constantly, as if he expected an ambush any moment.

Mat and Perrin had barely spoken to me when we woke this morning, leaving me to ride alone, away from the others. I'll give them a day, I thought, but then I'm confronting them. I would not let it fester. Min rode up next to me in the early rays of dawn, and spoke quietly, with a yawn. "So sheepherder, you told me your secrets, I'll tell you mine. That was the deal we made, right?"

I nodded, suddenly more awake. The Oneness suffused me at my command, and I concentrated on her, idle thoughts of how cute she looked, all bundled up in her cloak with her cheeks pink, buzzing through the Void like mosquitoes. I did not bother to squash them. "Tell me what you see. I want to know everything."

She frowned, concentrating on me as we took our horses at a steady walk, dropping back behind the others, out of their hearing. After a long minute, she spoke. "A stamp dripping chains of ink onto a woman's hand. A beautiful glittering beast, with bat wings, roaring with a flame of every color. A rectangle of black glass gripped tightly in a hand, your hand I think. A crystal sword floating in the air, hilt down, a crown of golden laurels, you pouring water onto sand that drinks it greedily." She took a deep breath and stared some more. "You reaching down and ripping up weeds, smiling. Lightning strikes going to and from you, and nine moons in chains before you. Red blood on a black stone, steaming. And today I see a temple on top of a mountain, composed of tall towers on the summit, and a million white armored men marching in lockstep. There is more, but it flickers and changes and I cannot quite catch it. Your aura differs from others, more…. fluid. Those stay the same, though."

She paused, taking a deep breath, blushing a little.

"Then there is the five women. Your dragonwives, I suppose. I'm always there, as is Moiraine Sedai. The others flicker, change between six different women now. Currently, there is a long, curly-haired young woman in strange black armor, with a black, insectoid mask with eerie yellow eyes, surrounded by buzzing insects, and an orange skinned woman in a sleeveless dress the color of red clay, with a strange headdress and tendrils, with twin blades of green light. A beautiful young woman with red-gold hair and sapphire eyes sitting imperiously on a throne, myself and Moiraine join them. Yesterday when I saw you training, it was a woman with skin the color of tea with a splash of milk, in a blue and white robe, wielding water as a whip, alongside another young pale-skinned, curly-haired woman in black robes with a stick of wood shooting sparks, and the Aiel woman, tan skin and red hair, standing proud and wielding a short spear, a black viel round her neck. They each ripple, faster and faster until they change into a new configuration."

I took a long moment to take that all in and collate my thoughts. I knew Moiraine thought she was one of my wives! That's why she was acting so oddly. "I believe I know a number of what those things mean. Some are obvious, some are very much not."

"Well?" she asked, when I had continued to ride quietly, thinking of the images.

"Let's do this in order. So the stamp, that's obvious." I produce the stamp from somewhere, and showed her. "This is the stamp, part of the dragonwives prophecy, 'Five are the wives of the Dragon, marked with the ancient sign in everlasting ink.' "

Min nodded, "I am aware." She stared at the stamp is if it were some kind of strange bug I had found. "So that is what marks us, as your wife. It's so small." She looked back up at me. "You're not marking me with it until I say so," she said in a calm, casual voice, as if talking of the weather, but her eyes were fiery.

"Of course I won't! It's as good as marrying you, and I can't just go and do that without your approval. There'd be no point in a wife that doesn't wish to be my wife," I protested, face aghast.

Min eyed me for a moment before nodding. "Continue, sheepherder."

I was eager to move on. "The beast I have some idea. There are people across the Aryth Ocean that use flying beasts, though none breathe fire. It may very well be they exist though and I will ride one, if I had to speculate."

She stared at me, curious, before speaking. "Of course there are flying beasts across the ocean, and you know about it. At least they are not here, and stuck far across the ocean."

I grimaced. Not yet, I thought. "The black glass I have no idea, but the next three I know, as long as they still match what they meant in the books. The sword is Callandor, the Sword That Cannot Be Touched, in the Heart of the Stone of Tear. It is a sa'angreal, an object with which a man could wield great amounts of saidin with. I will wield it as the Dragon Reborn, eventually, in accordance with prophecy. The second is the Crown of Illian, which presumably I will wear, and the third is rain I will create in the Aiel Waste. Or that the Rand of the books made, and I will emulate."

"You will be able to do that someday? Create rain clouds and change the weather? That is… big." Min did not seem to know whether to be impressed or terrified.

"Eventually, I hope. The Atha'an Miere, the Seafolk know how, I think."

"You know a lot, don't you? For a downcountry boy from the Two Rivers. All that book learning did you good," Min teased. I grinned weakly, not exactly wanting to be reminded I had lost my entire life for a series of books that were turning out to be only approximations of the world I lived in. "That is why their ships are so fast, I assume?"

"Exactly. You're a clever one," my grin grew stronger. "Now, the weeds I don't know, lightning strikes I don't know, but the Nine Moons I know. It is Tuon, a princess from across the Aryth Ocean, and her in chains could be a good thing, since she's the heir to a slaving empire, the Seanchan. If, of course, that remains the same."

"A slaving empire? The Seanchan?" Min asked, confused.

"They keep female channelers in bondage, leashed and tortured, and use them as tools and weapons of war. They are barbarians and some day I will defeat them. I must."

Min gasped, face paling. "Light preserve me! Aes Sedai as weapons of war! But they're off across the Aryth Ocean, right?"

"For now," I said ominously. "We don't need to worry about them yet, though, Min. Not for a few months at least, probably, and there'll be plenty of time to talk with Moiraine Sedai about how to deal with the Seanchan. Believe me, I want them gone."

Min frowned, but motioned me to continue. "If you say so…"

"The blood on the stone… I know that one, I think. That is my blood, spilled in Shayol Ghul. It is a prophecy I must fulfill if I am to defeat the Dark One…" I paused and thoughts of Rand's death filled my mind. Did it happen then, on Shayol Ghul? It must have. Yet there is no funeral bier for me… Min looked at me, concerned.

I took a deep breath and continued. "The temple I do not know, nor the men armored in white, though they may be Whitecloaks. The women, my potential wives, the only ones I have any clue of are the woman on the throne and the Aiel woman with a spear, Elayne and Aviendha. The girl in armor and an insect mask, that sounds like a soldier from across the Aryth Ocean, of the Seanchan. The others I know nothing of, and I've never even heard of a blade of light, except in tales of Ages long past from Thom."

"Well, maybe she comes from such a tale," teased Min, trying to lighten my mood, I think. "Why not have a storybook heroine, if you're going to have an Aes Sedai and a queen?"

"Don't be ridiculous, like that could happen." I took a moments pause, and realized something. "Except it did happen, with Elayne and her Warder, Bridgette Silverbow? A hero from the Horn, who Elayne found in the World of Dreams."

"Birgitte Silverbow?! This Elayne bonded Birgitte Silverbow as her Warder? I did not know you could bond women as Warders. Tell me about this Elayne, and this Aviendha. Who might I be sharing you with, besides the Aes Sedai?" she asked, curiousity and wonder filling her voice. It seems she truly does believe me. Maybe she spoke with Moiraine last night?

I thought back on my memories of reading. "I remember Elayne as a cheerful young noblewoman with a fiery temper and a taste for adventure, and iron-clad determination, always seeking to mediate between Egwene and Nynaeve. She's the Daughter-Heir of Andor, and a powerful channeler. Aviendha is, right now, a Far Dareis Mai, a Maiden of the Spear. She is a member of the Aiel's female warrior society, but has the ability to channel and will become a Wise One. They are something like a cross between an Aes Sedai and a Woman's Circle, but for the Aiel. I remember her being prickly, honor-focused, hot-headed, with a sharp tongue, and a kind heart for friends. Elayne has red-gold hair and shares a height with Egwene if I remember correctly, and Aviendha has hair in a shade similar to mine and is as tall or taller than Mat."

We spoke more, about the apparent past I read, and some of what Min had seen around others, as we rode east into the swiftly rising sun, but it was the million marching men in white that gnawed at me. Whitecloaks? But then why would they be in my aura? There was no way I would lead the Whitecloaks, not even if they begged me, and the thought of a million of them… It made a man want to scream. How many dead innocents would they leave behind in shallow graves? How many broken villages and families would they create? How many nations would a million armed and armored Whitecloaks break? And where would they come from? Perhaps I need to deal with the Whitecloaks sooner rather than later, if such a thing is in my future. Or perhaps me deciding to deal with them creates this unheard of army. I found no answer as I rode.

The Caemlyn Road was not very different from the North Road through the Two Rivers. It was considerably wider, of course, and showed the wear of much more use, but it was still hard-packed dirt, lined on either side by trees that would not have been at all out of place in the Two Rivers, especially since only the evergreens carried a leaf. The land was different, though; the road entered low hills. For four and a half days we followed the road up, and down, and around, and through the various Hills of Absher, as the region was known. Each day the angle of the sun changed, and it became apparent that for all it appeared as straight to the eye, it in fact curved slowly southward as it ran east. I kept expecting Dragkhar at night but heard nothing, no beating of wings or screeching calls, and I thought maybe, just maybe, we had gotten away from Baerlon clean.

The first five days of travel were much the same as the days of riding to Baerlon, except Min was beside me chatting rather than Egwene, and we did not go out of our way to run from civilization, because there was none in the Hills. Lonely farm wagons disappeared that first full day, as did foot traffic, and merchant trains were few and far between, well guarded shipments of ore from the mines in the Mountains of Mist.

Thom had me practicing the flute when we took breaks for rest, not will to risk me dropping the instrument while riding, teaching me popular songs that are simple to play, 'in case I ever needed to make quick gold'. I asked about the harp once, and he laughed in my face, claimed he'd only teach a lordling the harp, not some ham-fisted farmboy, no matter how much talent he thought I had. Jokes on him, I would be a lord within a year or two.

Late afternoons, after we stopped to make camp, were weapons training. It consisted mostly of Lan running me through ever harder exercises each day, while he occasionally offered advice and pointers to Perrin, while Mat learned knife tricks from the gleeman. I was learning some true sword forms now, ones I'd read of, and even sparring once a night with Lan. He would beat me with contemptuous ease whenever I made too many mistakes, and make me start over, forcing me to last for a full minute before letting me go.

Min would watch me, and cheer me on when I flagged, much to my embarrassment and growing fondness. We spent much time together on the ride, and after that first night we slept next to each other, though our dynamic was a little strange, I found. She would snuggle into me at night, once the others had gone to sleep—especially in cold camps—and then wake up the next morning pretending it never happened, at least when I brought it up the first time. After that, I let her, as it was sudden for both of us, this situation. If she wanted to pretend she wasn't clinging to me like a limpet for warmth, I'd let her pretend. Besides, I still got to snuggle with a pretty woman every night, even if it brought me glares from the other girls. My hole had already been dug. I was perfectly happy, for now. It was peaceful, and I slept like a babe with all the riding and work I did each day, and with Min beside me.

By the second day Perrin and Mat were talking to me again, thank the Light, though all talk of Min and Egwene was throughly squashed, and not brought up again, and Perrin was a little distant. Instead they talked of the past, and we talked of what we would do in Caemlyn, and then other cities, like Illian and Tar Valon and Tear. I tried to describe them the best I could, from what I remember, but given how Thom snickered occasionally, I don't think I was too accurate.

After dinner and more gleeman lessons, I would join Moiraine and Egwene for awkward lessons where I sat nearby quietly listening to Moiraine walk Egwene through meditation and the basic manipulation of threads of the One Power. I, on the other hand, meditated by myself, seeking the Oneness as quickly as possible, and releasing it. Seeking and releasing, all while listening to Moiraine speak of saidar and knowing whatever she said would be of little help. Moiraine was unwilling to let me channel just yet, something I was fine with. I had no desire to have any more of the Taint in me than necessary. I need to know enough to fight in the Eye of the World and that was it for now, I thought. I had no desire to awaken Lews Therin Kinslayer in my mind, and turn into the paranoid madman the past Rand became, by channeling flagrantly.

When we woke up the sixth morning to the high shrill call of a Trolloc hunting horn, my stomach dropped. Less than a day had passed since we left the Hills of Absher and entered the much more sparsely forested West Andoran Plain, and we were in a sparse stretch, only occasional copses and groves dotting the land, with the forested hills rising to the northwest.

We were only ever ahead of them, I realized, They still came, and now we have nowhere to run. I began to pack my things quickly, Min doing the same at my side. I had yet to apologize to Egwene, I had wanted to do it somewhere we could be alone, and talk everything out. Now I wondered if I would ever get the chance.

"Time for us to move on," Moiraine called out, already having packed her bedroll, and mounted her white mare.

That set off a scramble for the horses, speeded by a second winding of the horn. This time others answered, the thin sounds floating out of the west like a dirge. I made ready to put Cloud to a gallop right away, and everyone else settled their reins with the same urgency. Everyone except Lan and Moiraine. The Warder and the Aes Sedai exchanged a long look.

"Keep them moving, Moiraine Sedai," Lan said finally. "I will return as soon as I am able. You will know if I fail." Putting a hand on Mandarb's saddle, he vaulted to the back of the black stallion and galloped out of camp, heading west. The horns sounded again.

"The Light go with you, last Lord of the Seven Towers," Moiraine said almost too softly for me to hear. Drawing a deep breath, she turned Aldieb to the east. "We must go on," she said, and started off at a slow, steady trot. The others followed her in a tight file. "Rand, up with me."

I cantered up beside her, dropping back into the trot. After a couple minutes and another horn call, she spoke in a low voice so others would not hear. "There is another prophecy that I believe concerns the stamp. It is written, 'In his hour of need, the Dragon Reborn shall mark in everlasting ink a wife to grant him the gifts he requires.' A fist of Trollocs, and maybe many more, seek us, Rand." Horns called and answered once more, sounding slightly closer. Nine miles, maybe eight. I shivered in my saddle. The stamp appeared in my hand as if called by them. "We will not make it to the river, to either river, and we are trapped in the open plains, with little cover. They will be able to track us from ten miles away and they are already probably that close. We face overwhelming odds. I put my faith in prophecy and trust in you. Whatever our life is together, as husband and wife, Aes Sedai and Dragon, it begins with you saving my life, saving our lives."

She gave me a sad smile, and held out her right hand, with its Great Serpent ring. I paused, uncomfortable. I had found Moiraine beautiful, stunning even, and I did not dislike her, but I had not thought we would do this so soon. I had thought that I would stamp Min first, the woman I felt closest with in this new life. I was nearly frozen and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Should we not wait for Lan to come back?" I questioned. It was a stupid thing to ask, both of us knew that the there were far too many Trollocs. I knew I was being a fool coward, waiting to see if something else would happen, a ta'veren ripple to pull us out of the fire, but I just was not ready, blast it! Not to fight to the death, nor to marry Moiraine.

"If you think it best to wait, wait we shall. The Wheel weaves as the wheel wills," Moiraine said with a sigh, dropping her hand back her reins. I felt a guilty amount of relief, that ebbed with each call of the horn until none remained, yet I waited stubbornly for Lan as I said I would. We kept on at the same steady pace. At intervals the horns gave cry behind us, and each time the sound was closer. I tried to stop thinking of how close, but the thought came unbidden at every brazen wail. Five miles, I was thinking anxiously, when Lan suddenly burst around the small grove behind us at a gallop.

He came abreast of Moiraine, reining in the stallion. "At least three fists of Trollocs, each led by a Halfman. Maybe five."

"If you were close enough to see them," Egwene said worriedly from behind us, "they could have seen you. They could be right on your heels."

"He was not seen." Nynaeve drew herself up as everyone looked at her. "I have followed his trail, remember."

"Hush," Moiraine commanded. "Lan is telling us there are perhaps five hundred Trollocs behind us." A stunned silence followed, then Lan spoke again.

"And they are closing the gap. They will be on us in an hour or less."

Half to herself, the Aes Sedai said, "If they had that many before, why were they not used at Emond's Field? If they did not, how did they come here since?"

"They are spread out to drive us before them," Lan said, "with scouts quartering ahead of the main parties."

"Driving us toward what?" Moiraine mused. As if to answer her a horn sounded in the distance to the west, a long moan that was answered this time by others, all ahead of them. Moiraine stopped Aldieb, and we followed her lead, everyone looking around fearfully. Horns cried out before us, and behind. I thought they held a note of triumph. In the distance I could see black lines on the horizon. It was time. This was my hour of need. I could not run from this. I would have to trust in prophecy I did not know, and gain an Aes Sedai as my wife.

"Moiraine Sedai, I'll do it."

A few paces away from of the others I held Moiraine's hand steady as I could, considering this was as good as marrying her. My stomach twisted from the sound of a horn, as I pressed down the stamp for three or four seconds until a light flashed from the stamp, bright and blinding. Time seemed to stop in that moment, and I felt something reach out from the bottom of my soul to touch my heart. Somehow, I knew what it was doing. Whatever thing that dwelt in the bottom of my soul was unlocking things, gifts that I could only have once I stamped my first wife, and that more would come with other wives.

There was a rush of information that filled me, about Talents and Defenses that I did not have the focus to pay attention to, because something else had caught my mind. There was now a ter'angreal bound to my soul. I knew this with certainty. The Sai'chinathan. I could see it in my mind's eye, a beautiful, powerful-looking set of silver-white armor with an oilslick rainbow sheen, made to look like a strange reptilian beast with antlers and shaggy mane of white fur round its neck, built like a Trolloc. It had weapons I had never heard of but I knew what they could do, instinctually. The nabirchat that spat balls of super-hot flames, the shakier'dareis that shot spears of light, and the manonir, a sword of violet starflame that could burn through nearly anything.

Time resumed its flow, as whatever dwelt in the bottom of my soul retreated back to the deep, and I looked wide-eyed with relief at Moiraine, blinking the lights from my eyes. The bright light roused shouts and cries from the rest of the group, but I did not pay any attention to their questioning calls. I could feel her, like a knot in the back of my mind, deep worry and fear filling her, a fear I wanted to smother in its cradle. The ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai, a white teardrop curled around a black teardrop, the Flame of Tar Valon and the Dragon's Fang, lay on her hand. Servants of All, that is what Aes Sedai meant. They fought for others, defended them, helped them. At least, they were supposed to. That's what I could do, with the Sai'chinathan. The Trollocs wouldn't be able to touch me, and the Myrddraal would fear me, I thought with a touch of arrogance, buoyed by the instincts the ter'angreal brought with it, of the destruction it could wreak.

"I can save us, Moiraine Sedai. I was given the gifts I needed. I should have done this half an hour ago, and I am sorry for denying your heartfelt appeal," I said confidently and probably far too loudly. It was like my mood had flipped, I no longer needed to fear any shadowspawn, regardless of how many there were. I would be able to fly! The others watched us, Egwene, Mat and Nynaeve with wide-eyes of realization, Min and Thom both with a look of resignation, and Perrin wearing a questioning gaze.

The immediate relief that filled the bond nearly overwhelmed me in its intensity and I took a step back, wavering from the feeling. She feels so intensely, I thought with wonder. She impressed me with how calm she sounded when she asked, "Are you certain? I will not send you out there to die, Rand al'Thor."

Taking a moment to really examine the information about the new Defenses I had unlocked when I stamped Moiraine, I smiled toothily. "The shadowspawn won't know what hit them, Moiraine Sedai. But it is better for you all to hide while I deal with the Trollocs." Then I spoke softly only enough for Moiraine to hear. "I can change, into a form better suited for war, that will protect me, will protect us. Do not worry."

Lan spoke quietly, though I could hear him as perfectly as if he had spoken into my ear. "Take the west first, they are closest. I will keep the villagers safe, sheepherder."

Now that I noticed it I could hear everyone, even Egwene and Nynaeve worried whispered back-and-forth. Apparently Egwene thought Moiraine was about to send me out to die and was close to hyperventilating. Warder senses. A bond I can feel in the back of my mind. Light, the stamp made me her Warder somehow. I could think about it later, but before I left, I needed to say something. From the looks everyone was giving me, they seemed certain I was about to meet a sad, but heroic end. That will not happen, not here, and not even in Shayol Ghul. I would live, survive, and thrive, I promised myself.

"I go out alone," I called out to them. "Not because I wish to die, or Moiraine Sedai has convinced me of any heroic sacrifice, but because I can save everyone. I have a gift, given to me by Moiraine with an object of Power, that will let me survive. This I promise, I will see you all again, my friends, and soon. Trust in me. I know I can be a stubborn fool, but trust in me, and I will save everyone."

I had dismounted to speak with Moiraine, and stamp her, but the others had remained mounted, until Egwene nearly tore herself out of her saddle and raced over, slamming into me like she was shot from a bow. She held me tight and looked up my chest at me.

"You're a wool-headed fool, you're a bloody ox-brained lummox, you're stubborn as a donkey, but you better not wind up dead. I don't need a dead hero, I need a living one, Rand al'Thor. Don't let Moiraine use you like this," she pleaded, eyes teary.

I pet her hair, in slow soothing motions, and she relaxed a little. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise. If she's using me, it is to make sure you and everyone else are safe, and that is okay with me. Now get back on that horse and follow Moiraine's instructions. She is not sending me off to die. I swear on my mother's grave, I will return," I said softly, squeezing her against me.

Egwene nodded hard, eyes still teary, shaking a little, unable to get words out. "Mmm."

Min had also dismounted and stood awkwardly to the side. Egwene noticed her, and started, blushing profusely at how close we were, and backed off, smoothing the front of her divided riding dress.

"I'll just… leave you two," she said, hurriedly, embarrassed and frustrated.

Min did not even look at her, her eyes only for me. I could see the fear in them, but not all-encompassing like Moiraine, or Egwene. She knew I would survive this, that we would survive this. I was glad one person did. "You owe me, sheepherder, a dozen songs on the flute, for simply watching you leave like this, like a fool into the maw of the Shadow while I can do nothing."

A hunting horn sounded. Four miles, came the unbidden thought. Min darted forward, wrapping her arms around me, and I stiffened for a second, not expecting it. Then, as I relaxed into the hug, she let go and swiftly turned away with color in her cheeks, muttering quietly under her breath, though perfectly audibly to me. "Bloody sheepherder wants to be the hero so bad, let him, Min. Can't even hug right. Fool."

I held back a snort, and made a decision. I would not lie about this, I would not obfuscate. Everyone would know what I could do. They would know I go bearing what is surely a gift from the Creator.

In front of everyone, I pulled on the energy beneath my skin and transformed. In a single moment that lasted less than a second, and a thousand hours, I changed. I did not get inside the Sai'chinathan, nor did it appear before me. Instead, I became it. I became a living armor of the One Power, saidar and saidin acting in perfect concert to power me. I glowed with an oil-slick sheen, a reptilian monster of metal with crystalline teeth and claw, with perfect vision that saw colors I did not know even existed, that I could not yet explain. I could see the Trollocs now, even over three miles away, in perfect detail, which meant I could channel that far. Channeling relied on eyesight, and once you reach a mile or so away the human eye does not see well enough for detailed channeling, so most consider it to be the range limit of a channeler. I did not suffer from that issue as the Sai'chinathan, my stamina, agility, senses, endurance, all were enhanced greatly by the form I now took, I knew. My mind seemed to race like lightning, from thought to thought, all in the space of a second.

What that meant was, with the Defenses I now had, I could channel relatively safely if I wanted to. The [Mind Defense] and [Soul Defense] I had gained each acted in concert to stem the tide of madness the taint on saidin wrought, distancing me from the corruption and the mental effects. They were just some of the wondrous gifts the Creator had hidden in me, when He gave me amnesia, apparently. I was beginning to think it was the best thing to happen to me, given the trouble the book Rand went through. He would have killed for these Defenses. But I could not focus on that now. I needed to test this armor first, before I could think of trying to channel. I needed to know it would protect me. But first I needed to make sure my friends knew for certain I would be back. Two seconds had passed.

"I promise you all, with this armor of mine, I will defend you, and return," I said to the shocked group, mouths agape.

"Rand?" Egwene asked questioningly.

"Light burn me, what are you?" exclaimed Thom.

Lan peered at me with wonder, as did Moiraine, a bloom of hope unfolding like a flower in the bond, while Mat and Perrin stood agape simply staring.

Weapons popped out of my shoulders, the shakier'dareis, a long fluted tube of blue crystal inlaid with gold in geometric patterns, and the nabirchat, a fat mouthed barrel of white ceramic surrounded by coils of silver-gold metal that glowed pink. They looked beautiful, like pieces of art more than weapons. Moiraine and Lan examined them closely, the others ranging from the hesitant curiosity of Mat to outright fear on Nynaeve's face. Skeletal white bat wings of strange metal folded out of my upper back, lacking any flight skin, but that did not stop me from flying. They began to hum, like the ringing of a fine wine glass, and a field of rainbow energy radiated from each finger of the wing. Slowly I flew into the air, a grin on my metallic face.

"I will return!"

My friends surely thought I look fierce, with my snout revealing jagged crystalline teeth, and ominous glowing gold eyes, but I simply felt happy to fly. It felt natural, once I was in the air for more than a few moments, as I left the group and their questions behind, rapidly approached the oncoming Trollocs as I hurtled through the air. Once I was close enough that the instincts that came with the Sai'chinathan told me I was in range with the shakier'dareis, I let loose, targeting with my will the scouting group that was just beginning to realize something was wrong as one looked up and pointed at me.

With a sharp whine, a beam of blue-gold light shot from the tip of the tube, as I sliced it across the half-dozen Trollocs with my very intent, incinerating them and lighting the ground on fire. Once the last was dead, I turned the weapon off and stared at it while I hovered gently. No heat rose from the barrel, no smoke, no sign that a horrifically deadly beam of light had come from the cool crystal. I grinned wider and raced to the next scouting party I could sense, like rancid oil, slick on my skin. This time I got close enough for the nabirchat and on instinct from the Sai'chinathan, I targeted the center of the group. The weapon made a whine as the glow from the coils intensified, and a fat bolus of something pink and red shot from the barrel with a thump. When the blob hit the ground it exploded in an expanding pink-red conflagration, burning the closest Trollocs instantly to ash. The whole scouting group was dead, all within ten feet of each other, and all caught in the blast. The weapon felt tired though, and I could feel the heat coming from the barrel. It would be ready in a three quarters of a minute at most, I felt. A deadly weapon, but not one I can rely on.

Finally, I dropped to the ground in front of a third group of scouts, the main force only a mile away, the hunting horns intensifying as I grew ever closer. The Trollocs, two dogmen, a boarman, and a goatman, looked terrified to see me. One made to speak, but I moved quicker. In less than a second I was amongst them, the silver tube hilt of my manonir hissing as it ignited, and a blade of violet light erupted, its four-foot blade tearing through two Trollocs that stood too close, as if they were paper, cauterizing the wounds and filling the air with the scent of burnt hair and roasted meat. I gagged, nauseated by the intensity of the smell, and the boar Trolloc took advantage. It rushed me, then swung its heavy jagged axe. The axe broke when it hit my armor and I grinned. My manonir was up in an instant, Threading The Needle, tearing through and out the shoulder of the Trolloc, nearly de-arming him. The last Trolloc had already fled, and I shot it in the back with my shakier'dareis, burning a hole through its spine.

I felt confident now, more confident that arrogant. Buoyed by my success so far, I flew back into the air and got to work on the first Fist of Trollocs. I soon learned that the shakier'dareis did have a limit. Fifteen seconds of continuous use meant fifteen seconds of no use, and trying to fudge it just made my fire stutter rather than long sweeping lines. I tore through the ranks of Trollocs in the first Fist, sending those that survived fleeing, whatever hold the Myrddraal had on them breaking from the sheer destruction I wrought. As for the Myrddraal, I swooped in low and used the nabirchat, burning the foul, loathsome creatures with pink-red flame and killing what remained of the Fist. For the other two fists, I engaged one Myrddraal in a rapid duel, my manonir not able to break the darkblade, forged the fires of Shayol Ghul, but the violet starflame heated it up. One final blow and it sizzled in the Myrddraal's hands, causing the foul creature to screech and drop the blade, letting me slice it in half. By that point I could fire the nabirchat at the third and final Myrddraal, nailing it in the chest with the pink-red ball of fire that consumed it and a dozen Trollocs that surrounded it.

Soon all shadowspawn were dead, but those few that broke from the Myrddraal mind-meld and fled into various copses and groves to escape my fire. No Myrddraal escaped me though, only Trollocs. I considered searching for them but the fire became bad enough that I had to channel. Saidin seeming to come far easier than it did that first day, and I drunk deep, giddy with the feeling of the nauseating taint being so much lesser. It was like night and day. Rather than saidin being half honeysweet nectar of life, and half rotten, foul, putrid taint, it was more like honey that had gone bad, still sweet and wonderful and filling me with life, but with a hint of something off, a sour taste, rather than the putrid taint.

I floated above each fire, drawing the water down from the clouds, visibly reducing the cloud's size, while localized rain happened above each fire. I did not know exactly what I did, except that it was a complicated tangle of Water and Air that reached out and did something to the clouds, and that I could probably do it again if I really needed to. The weave had just seemed to well up from somewhere inside my mind when I needed it. I shivered. I'm not mad yet, I'm just the reincarnation of that madman. Sometimes his knowledge rises to the top. That's all, I told myself.

Fires dealt with, and Fists eliminated in the west, I swiftly moved east, flying low to the ground and keeping an eye on the grove Moiraine lay in. She felt some amount of hope and fear, and worry, and relief all jumbled up together, kept pushed down by a sense of calm. Nothing that meant they were in danger though, so I raced eastwards to the second group of Trolloc Fists, another three hundreds of Trollocs that I could see, and each led by a Myrddraal. The Halfmen all turned as one when I got close enough, pausing for a moment as they did not recognize what I was. Streams of rainbow energy shot from my back as I raced forward. In the end, the application of Age of Legends weaponry against assuredly primitive armor of the Trollocs, and even the smooth black scaled armor of the Myrddraal, meant that the Fists broke and died swiftly, none escaping as I targeted the Myrddraal above all, slicing through them with a half dozen swipes of the shakier'dareis, and judicious applications of the nabirchat. I would not make that same mistake again, of concentrating on the Trollocs, letting them scatter and survive the death of the Myrddraal. On my way back I hunted the independent scouting parties untied to the Myrddraal, easily picking them off with careful applications of the shakier'dareis in order to not start any more fires.

I had done it. I felt proud, and strong inside my Sai'chinathan, useful and not a fool, but a hero. I couldn't help myself and spun through the air in tight twists, feeling so fantastically free in the sky.

Once I arrived outside the grove Moiraine and the group lay within, I changed back, instantly transforming into Rand the human, and it was like releasing saidin but ten times worse. I was no longer a strong armor of war meant to crush shadowspawn and fight the Shadow, I longer could see the heat of a body nor the beautiful violets that exist beyond human sight, my mind no longer operated at lightning speed, and felt clunky, slow. I could no longer fly free as a bird. I stumbled and reached out to put a hand on a tree trunk. For a long minute I stood there, and the feelings of inadequacy faded away, and my body felt normal, felt mine again, and not like I had been stuffed back into a meatpuppet.

When I could focus again, Moiraine was approaching me, I could hear her whisper soft footsteps, and her steady, calm heartbeat, as well as the worried conversation of Egwene and Min inside the grove. I could feel her sense of relief, and also worry like little chimes in the back of my mind. I pushed away the senses, finding them overwhelming now that I was back in my body again, and not a purpose-built ter'angreal of war. I waited for her, and she stepped out, face curious and calm, but the sharp rise of relief, and drop of worry, gave way the lie. I couldn't help smiling. "I'm back, Moiraine Sedai, just like I said I would be. And not a scratch on me."

Moiraine gave me a soft smile back. "I take it you were successful, Rand."

"Only a few Trollocs escaped from the first group, because I was too busy playing with my new toys. A mistake I did not make again. The second group, the ones in front of us, are all dead."

"You bring good news. Very good news. Did you see anything else? Any other groups of Trollocs while you were flying through the air?"

"I did not see anything else. But, Moiraine, Light, you should have seen me when I fought. I was a monster out there, to those Trollocs. They broke and ran all because of me, and I did not even channel in battle." I suddenly felt like I stood before a yawning chasm with a narrow bridge in front of me, as I realized the full extent of the Sai'chinathan. "I could probably fight any army in the world and win," I said with rising horror. "I'm stronger than any king or queen. Light!"

Moiraine sighed, taking pity on me. Gently, she said, "Rand, you always had the power to fight any army in the world and win. You are the Dragon Reborn. This is simply another tool in your tool chest, and one that is a gift. There is no need to get anxious over it."

That.. sounded reasonable and logical. I am definitely worrying too much. I took a deep breath and pushed those anxious thoughts away, clearing my mind. Moiraine nodded as she presumably felt the change. Perhaps she might be good for me.

"Now, tell me exactly what happened when you stamped me, I want to know everything. Your mood seemed to instantly change, and you were much more confident, but you did not explain how," Moiraine said, the hunger of curiosity in her eyes.

"We were bonded like a Warder and an Aes Sedai." She nodded and gestured for me to continue. "I unlocked a ter'angreal that is bound to my soul, the Sai'chinathan. It is as if one had made a suit of armor the size of a Trolloc, and based it off a reptilian beast, armed with deadly weaponry."

"Power Armor," she said with wonder. "Only few records from before the Breaking speak of it, but the White Tower knows Lews Therin was purported to wield one with weapons of great power. Men and women in Power Armor fought in the frontline of the War of Power, and dealt grievous blows to the Shadow. And now, you have found one, residing in the depths of your soul. This is truly a boon," she finished with a smile.

"I believe I have the same armor, then, because the weapons of the Power Armor, the Sai'chinathan, were all powerful and deadly weapons. It had a shakier'dareis, a nabirchat, and a manonir. Do you know what those are? Have you heard of them?"

She shook her head, frowning, "I have never heard of such things, but I can certainly translate them. The light-spear, the flamebreath, and the starsword. I can imagine how deadly they are from the names alone, but tell me, what are they truly?"

"Huh. Not wrong, nor entirely accurate names. Boy, were they powerful! We have no need to fear of shadowspawn when I am around." I said with a grin, feeling relaxed. It truly had been a simple application of will and violence, to wipe out hundreds of Trollocs. I had expected much worse. "I killed entire Fists in seconds by targeting the Myrddraal with the nabirchat, that fat barrel of white ceramic, with a silver-gold metal coiling around it, that shoots this bolus of flame that explodes on impact in a blast near ten feet wide. And then there's the shaekir'veren. It was the blue crystal, and it fires a beam of light that tears through armor like paper. It was amazing, Moiraine. And the manonir was like someone had taken the flame of the nabirchat and turned it into a sword blade. My instincts from the ter'angreal called it starflame. I was a monster to those Trollocs."

A trill of amusement graced the bond, and a bemused smile graced Moiraine's beautiful face. "I'm glad you found battle so stimulating, and your gift so rewarding. It is only proper that a bride bring an excellent dowry to her marriage. I'm sure Lan will be quite jealous to hear of your weaponry and your battle."

"It truly was a gift, Moiraine. I am just sorry I did not accept it sooner, and let your worry grow. I noticed the armor was powered by saidin and saidar. I could tell, somehow. If some day you and I figure out how to make ter'angreal again, we'll have to make sure Lan gets one."

"That is kind of you, Rand, though you may be putting the cart before the horse just a bit," she teased. "Was there anything else, before you show off your armor."

"Yes, actually, there—," I said, before something vibrated in my right pocket. Confused, I reached inside to pull out a rectangular piece of black glass, with a silver back etched with strange writing and the drawing of a book with a heart on the cover. A white button of some kind of substance lay on the right edge of the glass. Black glass! "But maybe that can wait, because Min saw this, I'm certain of it."

"So she has told you. I had wondered if that was why you've been so close," Moiraine mused. "I think this black glass can wait, though. I would rather you finish telling me what the stamp did."

I took a moment to look at my reflection in the glass, then shrugged, sliding it back in my pocket and went on. "The Power Armor wasn't the only thing stamping you gave me, it unlocked things in my soul called Talents and Defenses." Her eyes seem to light up at the word Talents. "Yes, like those Talents, though these are nothing like I have ever heard of before. I have the [Aes Sedai Soul] Talent and the [Warrior's Body] talent. The first means that I can learn to channel, and other supernatural powers, at an increased rate depending on how much more advanced my teacher is than I, and the latter is the same but for martial skills, including commanding. Between you and Lan, I should be unstoppable by the end of next year," I finished with a grin. "Isn't that amazing? But it is not even the best part."

Moiraine quirked an eyebrow and asked with an amused tone, though the hunger of curiosity rose to a fever pitch in the bond, "And what is better than a ter'angreal armor from the War of Power, and the fact you can train to become as powerful and skilled as a Warder and an Aes Sedai in under two years?"

"My Defenses, Moiraine. [Mind Defense] and [Soul Defense]. They aren't perfect, but each protects me from the taint on saidin, turning it from stomach churning nausea I can barely stand, to a slightly upset stomach. I can channel without fear of going mad so easily, without worrying whether I'm going to spew." I laughed. "Light, Moiraine, it felt so good to channel today, with the taint a distant worry. It must be just a part of what you feel every day."

Her voice was cool, and stern, but the undercurrent of worry tinged her warning in a positive light, to me at least. "Take care not to become too used to channeling, now that you have these defenses of your. It would do you no good to use saidin overzealously and risk burning yourself out by pulling too much on the One Power, or diving head first into madness. You are the Dragon Reborn, and you must survive to the Last Battle."

"And after?" I asked, wondering whether her plans considered that.

She quirked an eyebrow, an amused smile darting across her lips. "And after, of course. If I must share you with four other women, then I would like to get my long life's worth out of you Rand al'Thor. But first we should relieve the anxiety of everyone. Come, follow me."

"Wait."

She turned back, with a raised eyebrow.

"Shouldn't we tell everyone? Wouldn't it be easier?"

"Tell everyone what?" she asked calmly.

"…What I am. The Dragon Reborn. Wouldn't it just be easier?"

"Easier for you? Yes. Easier for me? Easier for the world? No. No, you may not tell them you are Dragon Reborn. Not before you fulfill more obvious prophecy, or there is no other choice. I will not risk Mat or Thom sneaking off with the information, or the Wisdom deciding to spill it to spite me. This is a dangerous secret we keep, Rand. One that would see us killed. One that would see me stilled, and you gentled. One that would see us tortured to death. You must keep the secret yet."

And with that, as if it was already decided, she turned and began walking back into the woods. I knew she was probably right, for all Min said I should tell them and damn the consequences, but it didn't feel great to just let her turn and walk away like that, like she could decide such things even if I really was serious about telling them. Sighing, I followed her, and we walked for a minute in silence through the grove, opening up into a clearing, the horses saddled and tied to a branch overhanging the pond. Egwene spoke nervously with Min and Perrin, while Nynaeve and Mat both sat sullenly, not looking at each other or the others. When we walked in Thom and Lan spotted us immediately, and Lan moved swiftly to Moiraine's side. It took a moment for the others to notice, Egwene bolting for me once more, before skidding to a stop in front of me. Min followed closely behind and stood beside Egwene as they looked me over for any signs of wounds or trauma. Perrin trailed them, standing awkwardly to the side, but Mat merely watched and Nynaeve glowered at me.

"I'm back, perfectly healthy, as you can see, ladies" I said.

Egwene did not hold herself back this time and hugged me tightly, before releasing me and punching me in the arm. "That's for making me and Min worry when you turned out fine! And for flying off without answering any questions!" she said, as Min moved in to take another hug. This time I relaxed into it immediately and squeezed her.

"Fool downcountry boy, making everyone worry. Running off alone like a bloody hero," she muttered quietly into my chest, before releasing me and stepping back, side by side with Egwene. "Remember, you owe me."

I nodded, "A dozen songs, all for Min Farshaw."

Perrin finally approached us and took me into a bear hug.

"You scared me, Rand. I thought you were going to die! I know what you said, but if Lan couldn't have handled it and you transformed into that armor but five hundred Trollocs…" He began to squeeze tighter, as worry rose on his face.

"Light Perrin, let me go, you're squeezing too tight!"

Perrin stepped back hastily, his shaggy, curly hair no longer tickling my nostrils.

"It turns out, Trollocs and Fades don't much like fire," I said, answering the unspoken question of 'how did you do it?' "And like before, when I killed the Fade, the Trollocs died. So all I needed to do was get close enough to the Fade to reasonably kill it, given my weapons worked at range, kind of like a bow and arrow."

"Do you actually listen to the words you are saying, Rand?" asked Mat, having finally stood up to join us. "All you needed to do was get close enough to a Fade to kill it? Blood and ashes, I would have run away from the Fade, not towards it."

It was only natural you would run. I was the strange one for going after them. "Three dead Fades means over three hundred dead Trollocs. I could either try to kill them the easy way or the hard way, there was no running away for me, unfortunately, Mat," I said with a crooked grin.

"And there will be no running away for any of you." Moiraine interjected, voice clear and cold as a winter's morning, smile sharp and not friendly, and directed at Mat. He stared at Moiraine like a rabbit caught in a hawk's gaze. "I cannot risk any of you falling into the Shadow's hands. And I won't risk it. You will not survive, either way. Now mount up, you can discuss Rand's heroics on the ride."

A chill descended over all us, Egwene looking startled, and Nynaeve vindicated and fiercely angry. Thom was stone-faced, Perrin had the funniest look of surprise on his face, and Mat was pale, nodding rapidly. The bond was tired resignation twined with an iron core of determination. I did not doubt Moiraine would do anything necessary. This was who I was now married to, this was my wife, I thought. The woman who will do anything for my cause, even threaten to murder by best friends. I don't know why she felt such threats were necessary, but I had to do something. I wanted to bring the mood back up, so I did not swing up on my horse yet, while others did silently, with occasional glances at the Aes Sedai.

"Does everyone want to see how I fought off over three hundred Trollocs in under twenty minutes?" I asked jovially, putting a broad grin on my face.

Instantly Mat's mood changed, a grin rising on his face. "Yeah, Rand, show us! I want to see the armor again, and I'm sure Egwene wants to see her hero," he finished teasingly, as Egwene blushed and looked away from me.

Perrin frowned at Mat, "Mat, that is uncalled for." Then he turned to look between me and the Aes Sedai, a little reticent. "If Moiraine Sedai thinks it is safe, then to be honest, I would like to see how you were so successful."

Moiraine looked at me. "Surely you can walk or fly while we ride, Rand, and demonstrate for us. I of course, would love to see what you can do, as I am quite curious."

"Well alright, lets get moving and I'll show you," I said, leading Cloud over to Min and her horse and handing her the reigns. "I'll go ahead and lead."

I jogged up beside Moiraine, and she gave me a calm look, her eyes glinting with amusement, speaking quietly. "So you think the villagers need a little pick me up, do you?"

I nodded, seriously. "They don't know how important our quest truly is. Your threats are terrifying, the threat any Aes Sedai makes is terrifying, because we know them to be truth. Maybe seeing what I can do will ease their minds about any conflict that might happen between us 'villagers', and you and your Warder."

"I know that, I am not a fool." She sniffed. "Keep in mind you are technically my Warder as well."

"Mmm," I said, not answering. That was something that required not only the bond, but choice and dedication, and I certainly did not choose that, when I chose to be her husband. The Stamp chose for me. I could not be like Lan, though, and just follow her orders. I would not be just her Warder, but Min's Warder and whoever wound up joining us. I need to train harder, I thought, If I am to be something like the Warder of five women.

I moved beyond her and Lan, moving at a run until I was far enough away that I wouldn't spook any horses, and pulled on the energy beneath my skin, changing between one moment and the next. Suddenly I was my Power Armor, ten feet of Age of Legends war machine, powered by saidin and saidar, my tail twitching back and forth. Startled, most of the group stopped to stare, only Moiraine and Lan riding closer.

"I am still Rand al'Thor," I called out. "But now I am wearing my Power Armor, my Sai'chinathan. It is a war machine from the Age of Legends, bound to my soul. I was gifted it in that flash of light earlier by a ter'angreal, and with it I am untouchable by Trollocs and Halfmen. It is how I survived so easily."

"Rand speaks the truth. He has a Talent, a supernatural ability, to summon and use this Power Armor. It is know to be an artifact of the Age of Legends, in what little scraps of knowledge remain. Even Lews Therin Kinslayer had one." At that name, a shudder passed through the group and Min frowned.

Moiraine and Lan had walked passed me as I spoke, and Lan turned to look back once Moiraine finished speaking.

"Let's keep moving boys and girls," Lan groused at the group, startling them back into action. Mat was the first to move, cantering for a moment to get close to me, then slowing down to a trot that I could match easily. Moiraine and Lan were ahead of me, and the rest trailed behind, giving me wide eyes.

"Burn me bloody, Rand. You have the weirdest luck, but call me a liar if I do not say that your Power Armor is one of the neatest things I've ever seen. You look so intimidating! So you fought the Trollocs with tooth and claw, like a great beast?!" His voice reached a fever-pitch of excitement as his horse edged closer.

I shook my head, and unsheathed the hilt of my manonir, while my shakier'dareis and nabirchat revealed themselves on my shoulders. I thumbed a button on the hilt and it ignited with a hum into a blade of starflame, violet in color and nearly half my height. "It's called a manonir in the Old Tongue, but it means starsword."

"Woah," Mat and Perrin both said, eyes wide and staring at the starsword in my clawed metallic hands.

"I would say something about boys and their swords, but it really is quite pretty," Min commented. "I like the other things as well, the ones on your shoulders. They look like strange pieces of art more than weapons. What do they even do?"

"Oh, you think they are pretty too? I think the whole armor looks so shiny and beautiful," gushed Egwene, stars in her eyes. As it was, I didn't much like hearing that I was 'shiny and beautiful.'

"I thought the same thing, but they are deadly. Far more deadly than any sword, any bow or crossbow, any weapon we know. The blue crystal is my shakier'dareis, my light-spear. Let me show you how it works." Briefly I fire it into the sky—the whining scream of the weapon tearing the air—and the blue and gold beam travels up and up and up, until it tears a hole through a cloud and disappears.

Egwene and Min held their hands over their ears, while Nynaeve simply looked disapproving, glaring at me with the full force of her stare. My armor repelled it though. The horses had all stopped because of the weapon firing, eyeing me far more warily now.

"Woah," Mat, Perrin and Thom all said, eyes wide and staring at the hole in the clouds. I stared as well, watching the heat of the beam dissipate through the cloud as it began to tear itself apart. I have the power to destroy the very clouds themselves. Could I end rainstorms with it?

From about twenty paces ahead of us, Moiraine called out. "If you must play with your toys again Rand, please give a little more warning next time. That was quite piercing."

Thankful that Power Armor could not flush, I continued. "I want to show you all the nabirchat, the flamebreath, as well. It doesn't have near the same horrible sound, but it is just as deadly in a different way. We should ride up to Moiraine first though."

A minute later, the group stood about ten feet back as the coils of silvery-gold wire glowed bright pink and the nabirchat hummed, vibrating, then fired, with a soft thump, an ellipsoid of pink and red flames bundled together. It landed about forty feet away and blasted a burnt crater into the road, kicking up dirt into a plume in the air. Everyone was silent, gazing in shock.

Lan had approached me, as we all stared at the smoking hole. As he sat on Mandarb, he put a hand on my massive shoulder, near the shakier'dareis and simply said, "I'm jealous," before riding around the hole, Moiraine following soon after him, and the others following her like ducklings, eying me and my weapons with an intensity they did not before. I let the Age of Legends weaponry fold back into my shoulders and jogged back up to Min and my horse.