Battle Won, War Lost? - Prologue

Date: March 2001
Category: The Wheel of Time AU fanfic
Characters: Rand al'Thor, Moiraine
Disclaimer: As everyone well knows, The Wheel of Time setting and its characters belong to Robert Jordan. This story is fan fiction and therefore was written purely for enjoyment, not for personal gain.



"Fool, you will destroy yourself!" Ba'alzamon flinched back from the sword of light. "You can not use it! Not before I have taught you."

"I don't care anymore. It will end here and now!"

The terrible heat burnt in Rand. Like liquid fire in his veins, the pure power became unbearable. He slashed after Ba'alzamon's black cord and severed it. Its ends whipped through the room. Sharp, deadly whips of darkness. Ba'alzamon howled in pain and then Rand screamed too as the whips hit him and his own navel cord. With the strength born from desperation Rand pushed the blade through Ba'alzamon and then his link to the light broke. The backlash seared his soul. When everything around him paled and vanished the agony staid with him and followed him into the darkness.



Moiraine touched Nynaeve's shoulder. "The evening meal is served in the halls. Go eat, Wisdom. I will keep watch over him."

Only reluctantly Nynaeve surrendered her place to Moiraine. "He has eaten everything this time though I had to encourage each bite."

"That is good news. He is still far too thin."

Nynaeve didn't seem pleased. She gripped her braid and shook her head. "I don't understand what is wrong with him. He should be healthy as a prime bull but instead he... he... Burn him! What did Aginor do to him?"

"The One Power can be a weapon that harms more than only the body. I... We both are doing what we can for him. We must trust that with time Rand recovers on his own."

Nynaeve nodded and managed a weak smile. Then she left and Moiraine took her seat and mustered the sleeping boy.

She had found him, the true Dragon Reborn, the man destined to save humankind. But now her elation had given way to dread and outright fear. Nearly everyone rejoiced about the great victory at Tarwin's Gap. They didn't know the greater truth.

They had won the first great battle against the Shadow - and maybe already lost the whole war.

Rand's weariness and lack of interest were telltale signs - for those who knew. She, Lan and Rand. He knew what had really happened at the Eye of the World. He had told her, because she had already suspected his ability before, but no one else. He still had enough sense of self-preservation for that. She had healed his burns, but could not help him further. No living Sister could. He was burned out. His ability to channel literally seared out. This was the most bitter truth.



Rand had opened his eyes and watched her now. She could not fathom what he thought. He now lacked the spark that made him always questioning her or let him stubbornly defy the Shadow. Indifferent, like tired of the life he only seemed to wait for death.

"You can not lay all day in the bed, Rand. I'm sorry that this happened, but you have to go on."

He shrugged. "Maybe it was for the best."

"You will die then," snarled she. Her worry and frustration transformed into anger, anger directed at this young man who was so unconcerned though the fate of the world depended on him. Anger that momentarily drove away her bone deep desperation. "Don't you realise that? Because you have already given up. You don't care anymore, not about the world, not about your friends, not even about Egwene whom you pretend to love!" As she mentioned the girl Rand stiffened.

Moiraine didn't hesitate to twist the knife. "Ba'alzamon has won!"

Rand sat up. "What do you care? Find yourself another Dragon -"

"There is no other!"

"- I won't be your puppet! I won't rot when I am still alive. I won't go mad and kill everyone I love. Burn you, Moiraine! Even if I die now, I am relieved! This madness is at its end."

"Do you really believe that, Rand? Do you?"