Prologue: Sparks Falling

Rand is in the Palace courtyard in Cairhien. Everyone's assembled. He raises his voice:

- All right, everyone prepare! We will go to Caemlyn using a.... platform. I'm not sure how big I can make it, so not all of you may be able to come. Remember to stay away from the edge of the platform at all times! - he channels and opens a Skimming gateway, then extends the floor beyond the gateway, then enters. Mat and Aviendha follow, then Natael, then all the Aiel. Someone cries "It's full!" - and Rand closes the gate and starts moving. The Aiel appear calm, but someone falls and there's a ripple - Someone fell off the edge. Rand looks at Natael, who shakes his head. The platform stops and Rand opens another Gate, coming out next to the Caemlyn Palace, in the back alley. Aiel spill through it, and finally Rand, Mat, Aviendha and Natael. Rand looks around anxiously, then scowls: "Where are all the people? It's not that early..... "

Suddenly the palace wall above crashes in several places and trollocs and myrdraal start fanning through. Chaos everywhere. At the same time lightning strikes in the street. Rand weaves a shield, but notices that he's too late - people lie charred around him, including Mat, Aviendha and Asmodean. He trembles, then screams RAHVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He opens a portal straight to the throne room and is startled to see a real portal - not a Skimming one - he finally got the trick. Rahvin is there, with some retainers, looking at him surprised. Rand throws himself through the portal, already attacking with fire and Rahvin runs away. Rand chases him.

They run through the palace, servants are cowering everywhere. Rand says: "Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you, but you might get hurt in the battle. Try to go someplace safe, away from here." He kills a squad of trollocs led by a myrdraal, simply freezing them. Evades a balefire slice, then shoots another. Goes out in a courtyard and senses the residue of channeling - he looks at it, then repeats it exactly - a portal opens into a reflection of the same courtyard. Rand smiles viciously: "So, you use the same tricks as Ishamael, do you! It'll do you no better!" - he follows.

[Screen doubles]

Nynaeve and Moghedien sneak around the Palace, who trembles sometimes. Moghedien is terrorized:

- They came here in the flesh! IN THE FLESH! If any of them sees us, he'll be able to incinerate us on the spot! - SHUT UP! - Are you insane to do this? Any man is stronger than a woman normally, and if he's in the flesh in Tel'aran'rhiod, he'll be immensely more powerful! - Nynaeve makes her feel pain, shutting her mouth, then: I don't care what are the circumstances, we're staying, and we'll try to help however we can. Do we understand each other???? - Moghedien nods frantically. They continue sneaking.

[camera on Rand] He walks forward, evading traps continuously. In another courtyard the air turns to water, filled with fishes that bite him, and he takes some time to imagine the water as air. The fish fall to the ground, flapping helplessly.

He reaches another courtyard, where he feels another residue. He walks closer to investigate, and suddenly feels something ripping him apart. His body starts tuning into a monkey. [screen doubles] / Nynaeve finally finds Rahvin - he's staring out from a balcony, smiling viciously. She channels, filling the whole room with fire, but Rahvin somehow survives. He stares at her across the room, his whole body burned and Nynaeve gapes / Rand's body suddenly stops changing and he sees an explosion of fire from a second-story room. Rahvin, burned terribly steps out, enveloped in some kind of shield, screaming. Rand Screams himself and channels an immense balefire ray, almost a meter in radius, which hits Rahvin and disintegrates him.

[camera centers on Nynaeve] They both slump to the ground, Moghedien sobbing uncontrollably. Nynaeve hears steps and quickly makes de a'dam invisible. Rand comes up the stairs.

- Rand: Nynaeve! What are you doing here? Was it you that made the fire?

- Yes....

- Is he dead?

- I think so, at least I saw him.... disintegrate.... Rand, what you're doing is dangerous - the Wise Ones say that if you enter here in the flesh you lose part of your humanity!

- This place... what is it? Is it where you meet Egwene? She never speaks willingly about it, she keeps so much from me....

- Rand, you must listen to me!

- Yes, I know, that's what she says too, right before delivering another set of demands without any explanations whatsoever. You're turning into an Aes Sedai, too, I see.....- Nynaeve swallows hard, watching him. - I will do whatever it takes to destroy the Forsaken, Nynaeve, and the Dark One. Once I thought Aes Sedai know everything, but Moiraine.... she showed me otherwise. The Wise Ones don't know anymore than Aes Sedai.

- Rand, let me Heal you at least... - she Heals him, and he barely shivers, then steps back.

- Nynaeve, I suspect you won't tell me where Elayne is? - Nynaeve shakes her head weakly - I thought so (bitterly). Well, tell her then that ... her realm is waiting for her. Ask her not to hate me for not acting before, for..... allowing Rahvin to reign here undisturbed for so long. Ask her.... - his face finally dissolves into emotion - tell her to forget about me. I've found something else to love, there's no more room left for her (he's plainly lying). He was right, Lan.... he asked me to tell you the same - he has found someone else too. Forget him. Forget both of us! - he strides away, almost crying, then takes hold of himself when Nynaeve tries to reach out to him, opens a Portal and vanishes.

- Moghedien: A ....remarkable man. And very dangerous. But he won, this time at least, and I helped as I promised!

- So. I still think you can escape. If not here in the dream, then in the waking world? Drink this - she makes a cup of tea and pushes it to her. - It's called forkroot, and it'll douse you off for hours, both here and in the waking world. Enough time for us to find you in Salidar. - Moghedien's eyes go wide.

• 
  EPILOGUE
  

Rand strides in the Palace corridor - there's sound of battle outside. He kills some trollocs almost with negligence, then comes out from the Palace entrance hall on the great plaza - and gapes wide. In the center of the plaza a knot of people are fighting trollocs. Mat, wielding his spear-staff, Aviendha flinging fireballs around, and even Natael awkwardly wielding a sword. Rand quickly incinerates the trollocs then runs towards them crying: Mat! Aviendha! You're alive! How's this possible! - he gathers them in his arms, almost crying, while they protest. [a small effect - To die and live again].

- Mat: What's gotten into you? One would think we were dead... well, almost in fact, there were so many trollocs around, and you vanished. Where did you go?

- Rand, getting hold on himself: I had to kill Rahvin. And.... I'm just happy you survived the battle.... the trap, that is. They were plainly waiting for us. Which means....

- Mat: They have spies among the Aiel, there's no other explanation. We did our best to hold the expedition secret. - Aviendha groans.

- Rand: Well, I'll go meet Rhuarc - the battle for the city is probably far from over.

Later, Rand is in the Throne room, thinking:

- Balefire.... burning the thread from the Pattern, BEFORE the time it was used. Before the time Rahvin killed them with his lightning.... just this once - a good fortune.

- Rhuarc, striding in: Rand al'Thor, the battle is almost over. There are some knots of Shadowspawn here and there, and some of Rahvin's Guards are resisting, but we're dealing with them. and there's a man to see you.

- Rand: A man? Someone from the Palace?

- I wouldn't say this - says a new voice. Davram Bashere walks in the room, holding two cups of wine, then bows to Rand. - I'm Davram Bashere, Marshal-General of Saldaea, here to speak with teh Dragon Reborn.

-I'm Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. What are you doing here, Lord Bashere?

- For several months already I've been chasing Mazrim Taim, who escaped while he was being brought to Tar Valon. I was dispatched by the QUeen herself to take care of him, and I followed him all the way to Andor. I strongly suspect he's hiding somewhere in Caemlyn. I tried to meet Queen Morgase, but ...Lord Gaebril's retainers kept barring my way. Now I understand he wasn't exactly....

- Rand: He was Rahvin, Lord Bashere. And he killed the queen, before I could intervene. He's dead now.

- Should I hail then King Rand of Andor?

- Rand, angrily: Andor has queens, and the Daughter-Heir is still alive to take the throne.

- I see. Forgive my assumption, but you already hold Tear and Cairhien. Do you intend to conquer all the world with...your Aiel?

- They are not MY Aiel, Lord Bashere, they follow me because they believe in my purpose - to save the world in Tarmon Gai'don. And if the rest of it doesn't believe as they do, then I will make them believe, however I can. I welcome any ruler that would declare he will follow me in the Last Battle, but so far none has expressed such wish. So far, all I've seen is either maneuvering for power, or outright hostility. I'm afraid I can't wait long enough to win everyone through diplomacy. I'm afraid the Dark One won't wait that long either. And I'm sorry, but I can't let you have Mazrim Taim, even if you manage to capture him.

- Bashere frowns: May I ask why?

- I didn't intend to reveal it so soon, but I might as well: I'm announcing an amnesty, Lord Bashere, an amnesty to all men that can channel. Why should I walk the world, and the others be hunted and put down like rabid dogs? Oh, don't look at me like that, I'm not mad yet. Have you thought what Tarmon Gai'don will be like, GENERAL? Hordes of trollocs, myrdraal and other Shadowspawn, for sure, but I don't doubt there will also be Dreadlords to lead them. And who is there to face them? The Aes Sedai? Who are divided, squabbling between themselves, and are more worried of how to control me than how to better prepare for the Last Battle. Well, I intend to gather all men who can channels that I can, and use them. The world might not have much time, and they may not have enough time even to go mad. What do you say to that?

Bashere stares in his eyes long, then: I've read the Karaethon cycle, we all have in the Borderlands. We also know far more about Shadowspawn than the rest of the world. I know what your fear is, and I understand it. I might not like your methods, but there are no better. I can't promise you the allegiance of the Borderlands, despite all - they have their own rulers. But I pledge you my support and this of the 9000 heavy cavalry I lead. May peace shine on our swords! - he raises his cup, giving the other to Rand. - Peace might be very far away yet, Bashere - for some time there will be only death and destruction around me. - There always is. - They drink.

NARRATOR: And so, the Glory of the Light DID shine upon him, and the Peace of Light did he give men. [Elayne creating an a'dam from Birgitte's silver arrow, then fastening the collar on the neck of the sleeping Marigan] Binding nations to him, making one of many. [Morgase riding away from Core Springs, determination on her face, Tallanvor scowling behind her]. Yet the shards of hearts did give wounds, and what was once did come again- in fire and in storm, splitting all in twain. [camera shows Asmodean walking into a room, then staring wide-eyed: You? NO!- a flash!] (chorus) For his peace - was the peace - of the sword.

End of The Fires of Heaven