[{Table style='width:100%'

| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TGS,Epilogue'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/wheel_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Wheel Chapter Icon'}] ''[ToM|Towers of Midnight]: PROLOGUE: Distinctions'' %% 
| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=ToM,Ch1' align='right'}]
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"It soon became obvious, even within the %%ot [stedding|Steddings]%%, that the [Pattern|Wheel of Time] was\\
growing frail. The sky darkened. Our dead appeared, standing in rings\\
outside the borders of the %%ot [stedding|Steddings]%%, looking in. Most troublingly, trees fell ill,\\
and no song would heal them.

It was in this time of sorrows that I stepped up to the Great Stump. At first, I\\
was forbidden, but my mother, [Covril], demanded I have my chance. I do not\\
know what sparked her change of heart, as she herself had argued quite\\
decisively for the opposing side. My hands shook. I would be the last\\
speaker, and most seemed to have already made up their minds to open the\\
[Book of Translation]. They considered me an afterthought.

And I knew that unless I spoke true, humanity would be left alone to face the\\
[Shadow|Creator]. In that moment, my nervousness fled. I felt only a stillness, a calm\\
sense of purpose. I opened my mouth, and I began to speak.
%%right
—from ''The Dragon Reborn'', by [Loial],\\ son of [Arent|arent], son of [Halan|halan], of [Stedding Shangtai]-
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! __Lan__ POV

[Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] rides [Mandarb] across the [Proska Flats|Shienar] in northern [Saldaea] near the [Blight]. He is following the road he turned away from twenty years ago to follow [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred]. He thinks that [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] has learned to talk and think like [Aes Sedai]. He has seen neither people nor [Trollocs] in days. He hears a noise and prepares an arrow. A man walks around a hill leading a pack horse.[1] He is pleased to find [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] and says he expected to find him on the [Kremer Road|Shienar]. The man is [Bulen], his retainer so many years ago in the [Aesdaishar Palace]. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] told them [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] was coming. He brought badly needed supplies. At first [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] refuses to let him follow, but [Bulen] tells him that his father was [Malkier]. He needs someone to give him permission to don the %%ot [hadori]%%. At last [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] relents and the two travel on.
\\%%follow [Follow Lan|ToM,Ch7]%%
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More [Lan POV]

! __Perrin__ POV

[Perrin|Perrin Aybara] is dreaming a normal dream; he is hammering hot iron. [Hopper] lies in a corner. He cannot seem to make anything useful and is embarrassed at what Master [Luhhan|Haral Luhhan] would think. He is trying to make something important but he needs to understand the parts first. He still worries about what the men think about him and [Berelain|Berelain sur Paendrag]. He needs to spend time with [Faile|Zarine Bashere]. [Hopper] invites him to go run but [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] is afraid of losing himself. He hears hissing from the quenching barrel and pulls out a hot statue. It is [Aram], screaming. It falls and breaks. [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] is now back in [Malden], only he carries the axe instead of the hammer. He kills the two [Shaido] as he remembers. [Aram] attacks him but [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] refuses to kill him. An image of [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] splits off, turns into a wolf, and kills [Aram]. [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] is back in the forge. He pulls out more statues from the barrel, [Tod al'Caar], [Jori Congar], [Azi al'Thone]. Hundreds. The broken pieces of the [Aram] statue become hands reaching for him. [Hopper] slams into him.

[Perrin|Perrin Aybara] starts awake. He is in his tent with [Faile|Zarine Bashere]. They have been camped in a field for days since a bubble of evil; red snakes came out of the ground, biting and poisoning hundreds. The [Aes Sedai] could not completely [Heal|Weaves#h] them.[2] It takes a long time for him to go back to sleep.
\\%%follow [Follow Perrin|ToM,Ch2]%%
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More [Perrin POV]

! __Graendal__ POV

[Graendal] is in [Natrin's Barrow|Arad Doman] with [Aran'gar|AranGar]. [Graendal] prefers to observe from a distance but [Aran'gar|AranGar] wants to be where the action is. The [Great Lord|ShaiTan] was not pleased that she lost control of [Egwene|Egwene alVere]. [Graendal] uses the trickle of [True Power] that [Moridin] and the [Great Lord|ShaiTan] gave her as a reward. The [True Power] strains and scars the [Pattern|Wheel of Time]. What the [Creator] can create, the [Great Lord|ShaiTan] can destroy. [Delana|Delana Mosalaine] enters and sits with [Aran'gar|AranGar]. 

A personal alarm goes off and [Graendal] meets her guard captain [Garumand]. He reports that the guard captured [Piqor Ramshalan] approaching. Under [Compulsion|Weaves#co] he says the [Dragon Reborn|Rand alThor] sent him but he wants to be king and he will reward her if she helps him. [Graendal] commands [Aran'gar|AranGar] and [Delana|Delana Mosalaine] to weave [Compulsion|Weaves#co] on [Ramshalan|Piqor Ramshalan] to confuse [Rand|Rand alThor] about the source. He probably has [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] with him and she might have the skill to read [Compulsion|Weaves#co]. 

She then weaves [Spirit|One Power] of the [True Power] to take over the mind of a dove. She sends [Ramshalan|Piqor Ramshalan] back and has the dove follow. She wonders if [Lews Therin|Lews Therin Telamon] remembers her murder of [Yanet]. Through the dove's eyes she sees [Ramshalan|Piqor Ramshalan] reach [Rand|Rand alThor] and [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] and the [Aiel]. Through the dove's ears she hears something about boxes and %%ot [Callandor]%%. The she sees the [access key|Control Statues] and begins to panic. She wraps [Aran'gar|AranGar] and [Delana|Delana Mosalaine] in [Air|One Power] then opens a gateway with %%ot [saidar|Said]%%. She jumps though the gateway to a nearby hill and sees a flash of light as the gateway disappears. She feels a [balescream|Weaves#b] from massive use of [balefire|Weaves#b]. From the top of the hill she sees that [Natrin's Barrow|Arad Doman] is gone. She now feels safe that [Rand|Rand alThor] will assume she is dead, but she worries that the [Great Lord|ShaiTan] will be angry that she caused the death of one of the [Chosen|Forsaken]. She will have to be careful.
\\%%follow [Follow the Forsaken|ToM,Ch5]%%
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More [Graendal POV]

! __Galad__ POV

[Galad|Galad Damodred] leads seven thousand of the [Children of the Light] through a swamp on the border of [Ghealdan] and [Altara]. There are swarms of [biteme]s. [Asunawa|Rhadam Asunawa] will not expect this move. He leads his horse [Stout]. He still thinks about [Valda|Eamon Valda] and [Morgase|Morgase Trakand]. The [Last Battle|Creator] will come soon. [Dain Bornhald], [Jaret Byar] and [Trom] are with him. [Galad|Galad Damodred] insists they will need the [Aes Sedai] to fight [Shadowspawn] and [Forsaken] and his men reluctantly accept that. One of the scouts, [Barlett], reports something ahead. There is a dead forest, the trees covered with gray lichen. There is also a slow river with bloated bodies of men and mules.[3] They ford the river and move on. 

[Galad|Galad Damodred] plans to lead them to his estates in [Andor]. He hopes [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] now holds the [Lion Throne|Royal Palace]. [Barlett] reports that the swamp ends ahead in a clearing. They ride ahead, but as they enter the clearing ten thousand soldiers appear, [Whitecloaks|Children of the Light] and [Amadician|Amadicia]s. It is a trap set by [Asunawa|Rhadam Asunawa] with the help of [Barlett]. [Barlett] coldly tells [Galad|Galad Damodred] that [Galad|Galad Damodred] is the traitor, not himself. [Galad|Galad Damodred], [Bornhald|Dain Bornhald] and [Byar|Jaret Byar] ride out to negotiate with [Asunawa|Rhadam Asunawa] and the Lords Captain with him, [Golever] and [Harnesh|Alaabar Harnesh]. They argue doctrine and philosophy. [Galad|Galad Damodred]'s words seem to affect the Lords Captain but [Asunawa|Rhadam Asunawa] will not budge. Finally, [Galad|Galad Damodred] offers to surrender himself if [Asunawa|Rhadam Asunawa] promises not to Question any of his men. [Asunawa|Rhadam Asunawa] reluctantly agrees. The [Questioners|Children of the Light]  arrest him, strip him and beat him unconscious.
\\%%follow [Follow Galad|ToM,Ch2]%%
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More [Galad POV]

! __Padan Fain__ POV

[Fain|Padan Fain] walks through the [Blight] carrying the [ruby dagger|Ruby Dagger]. The sky is black. The only emotion he has left is hatred for [Rand|Rand alThor] and the [Dark One|ShaiTan]. He keeps cutting himself with the blade but he does not care. He was once [Fain|Padan Fain], once [Mordeth], but he needs a new name now. He just finished killing a [Worm|jumara]. They make a lot of noise, so he hopes any [Trollocs] nearby will send scouts to investigate. Sure enough, a group of [Trollocs] led by a [Myrddraal|Fade] appear. A mist comes out of the ground. It kills the [Fade] and turns the [Trollocs] into zombies of some sort.[4] [Fain|Padan Fain] no longer hunts [Rand|Rand alThor]. He plans to meet him at [Shayol Ghul] and kill him.\\
%%follow [Follow Padan Fain|AMoL,Ch45]%%\\
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More [Padan Fain POV]

! __Malenarin Rai__ POV

[Malenarin|Malenarin Rai] is the commander of [Heeth Tower|Kandor], the northernmost watch tower near the [Blight] in [Kandor]. He reviews reports, including a letter from a merchant named [Barriga] who wants to bring his caravan to [Heeth Tower|Kandor] to trade. He is also making plans to give his father's sword to his son [Keemlin] who will reach his nameday in three days. 

He meets [Jargen], sergeant of the watch. [Jargen] reports a signal flash from [Rena Tower|Kandor] to the northwest, in the [Blight] itself. [Niach Okatomo] is commander there. They wait but there is no further message. There is also no response from [Farmay Tower|Kandor]. [Malenarin|Malenarin Rai] orders a warning message sent to the southward towers. He also orders messengers sent south. Fast riders, usually young boys. He is relieved that [Keemlin] is next on the messenger roster. He may ride to safety. He goes to the roof where Lieutenant [Landalin] reports no response from [Barklan Tower|Kandor] to the south. [Malenarin|Malenarin Rai] sees three riders heading south as well. He orders the tower to prepare for assault. He is then shocked to see [Keemlin] come up; he was supposed to ride. [Keemlin] admits that he sent [Tian] in his place. His mother Lady [Yabeth] has lost all her other sons. [Malenarin|Malenarin Rai] is nearly overcome. He orders a soldier [Kralle] to bring his father's sword. [Keemlin] protests that it is still three days, but [Malenarin|Malenarin Rai] says that a man stands before him. [Malenarin|Malenarin Rai] gives him the [Borderlander|Borderlands] oath then the sword. Someone shouts, and they see [Draghkar] in the air and a horde of [Trollocs] approaching. 
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More [Malenarin Rai POV]
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] The pack horse's name is [Scouter]. ([ToM,Ch7])
\\[#2] Much as [Aviendha]'s weaves were ineffective against the fiery bubble of evil that consumed [Adrin]. ([TGS,Ch11])
\\[#3] Victims of [Malden]. And the dead mules that Robert Jordan promised us!
\\[#4] This seems very much like [Mashadar] from [Shadar Logoth|Aridhol (City)].
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