Lord of Chaos

Plot summary

The deposed Queen of Andor, Morgase Trakand, goes to Amadicia for aid in returning to the throne; but is taken captive by the Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light, Pedron Niall. In response to amnesty on male channelers by Rand al'Thor, Mazrim Taim swears allegiance to him, and is assigned to train Asha'man at the Black Tower. Rand is diplomatically courted by both the rebel Aes Sedai in Salidar, who send an envoy to Caemlyn, and the Aes Sedai of the White Tower, who send an envoy to Cairhien. In Emond's Field, Perrin Aybara goes to Caemlyn to join Rand.

Wrongly thinking the Salidar Aes Sedai few and cowed, Rand sends Mat Cauthon to retrieve Elayne Trakand and win the allegiance of the rebel Aes Sedai. Mat discovers that Egwene al'Vere has been named the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai; and when she sends Nynaeve al'Meara and Elayne to Ebou Dar in Altara to search for a ter'angreal called the "Bowl of the Winds" to break the Dark One's control of the climate, Mat goes with them. Shortly after Perrin joins him, Rand is secretly kidnapped by Elaida's Aes Sedai, who torture him en route to Tar Valon. Learning of the kidnapping, Perrin leads Rand's followers to the climactic Battle of Dumai's Wells. At the end of the battle, the rebel Aes Sedai are forced to swear fealty to the Dragon Reborn while the surviving White Tower Aes Sedai remain captives.

Battle of Dumai's Wells

The Battle of Dumai's Wells occurs in Chapter 55 of this book.

Pro-Dragon forces

Anti-Dragon forces

The battle

Initially, the pro-Rand armies are situated on a ridge around Dumai's Wells. The Shaido have betrayed the Aes Sedai and have surrounded a group of wagons on which the Aes Sedai are situated, and are trying unsuccessfully to overwhelm its defenders to kidnap Rand al'Thor for themselves when the Pro Rand forces arrive.

The Two Rivers men, Cairhienin, Aiel and Winged Guards are to charge down into the valley after an attack of wolves, with Perrin at their head. The Salidar Aes Sedai and Wise Ones are to stay up on the ridge. However, when fighting, Perrin sees some Salidar Aes Sedai fighting.

The Pro-Rand forces fight their way in, but against far superior numbers they're only able to penetrate so far before they can go no further. In the thick of battle, about 200 Asha'man led by Mazrim Taim Travel to Dumai's Wells, emerge from their gateways and immediately kill any Shaido they see. They are instrumental in turning the tide of the battle.

When three of the Tower Aes Sedai shielding Rand leave to join the battle (leaving only 3 instead of the usual, and needed, 6 Aes Sedai guarding him to maintain his shield), Rand manages to break through the shield thanks to Lews Therin Telamon's help, reaching saidin and breaking out of the chest in which he was trapped. He stills all three of the Aes Sedai shielding him in the rush to break free. Rand finds Min beneath pieces of the exploded chest, but she is unharmed. He cuts her bonds and leads her out into the battle. Rand then continues knocking unconscious and shielding more Tower Aes Sedai from within their lines, weakening their defence against the Shaido and their Wise Ones. As he is using saidin they are unable to detect him. Gawyn Trakand rides up, and wants to take Min away, but she refuses. She tells Gawyn that his sister Elayne Trakand loves Rand; Gawyn, believing rumors that say Rand killed his mother, swears that he will see Rand die one day before wheeling away and retreating with his Younglings.

The 200 Asha'man create a dome of Air around the wagons, to keep the remaining Shaido Aiel out. Some Asha'man are holding 23 Tower Aes Sedai hostage. Some of Rand's allies are inside the dome; Perrin and Loial are two such. The rest of his allies (e.g. several Wise Ones, Rhuarc) are outside of the dome, still fighting. The shield cannot be raised to admit his allies without letting the Shaido in.

So Rand orders the Asha'man to "send a message" to Sevanna. He hopes that his allies who are outside of the dome will see what is happening, and get away before they get hurt. Mazrim Taim, the M'hael, orders the Asha'man to raise the dome by two spans. The Shaido Aiel who are now within the dome are then killed as they literally explode when the Asha'mans' weaves touch them. A "Rolling Ring of Earth and Fire" causes the ground around the dome to split and fire to pour out from its cracks. The Shaido, now terrified, break and run, thousands dead left behind in their wake.

After the battle, the nine Salidar Aes Sedai come over to congratulate Rand. However, Rand is angered that the Salidar Aes Sedai disobeyed his orders in bringing more than the allotted number of sisters, offers them the choice of being treated like the Tower Aes Sedai, kept prisoner by the Asha'man or swearing an oath of fealty to him. After Mazrim Taim adds, "Kneel and swear to the Lord Dragon, or you will be knelt," the Salidar Aes Sedai kneel and swear.