The book starts strongly, with Rand meeting Egwene and the world's leader. He says that he will fight the Dark One, only if they accept the following conditions:
- All borders will be sealed and no state will fight another one.
- They will accept to break the seals before sealing The Dark One again
- He will be the supreme commander of the Army of Light.
Egwene and most of the leaders refuse. There is a bitch fighting between 'the sheephearder woolhead Dragon Reborn' and the 'brat Amyrlin Seat'. It looks that this was waste of time. Until:
Moiraine Damodred enters and goes immediately on full Tolkien mode. Seriously, that was beyond Sanderson's ability. This is the same writter who said on Mistborn 'hat-trick' when Elend killed 3 koloss, and who mentioned on this book 'the butcher's bill'. But somehow, he managed to write such a speech from Moiraine. Well, as I said before, Moiraine raises cool points to people around her, so maybe it was more 'the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills' rather than something to do with Brandon Sanderson.
The leaders and Egwene agree, though there are some modifications. Aviendha asks Rand to put also the Aiel on the contract (on this way not letting the vision happen). Rand also has to convince Empress Fortuana (Tuon) to sign the contract. And actually, the Army of Light will be commanded from Elayne Trakand instead.
There will be 4 war fronts. Each of them leaded from one of the great captains. The Borderlands will fight beside Lan as their leader, though the army command will be under Agelmort. Aes Sedai will fight on Kandor. The leader is obviously Egwene, while the military command is under Bryne. Elayne will lead the forces on Andor, under the command of Bashere. The final front will be on Shayol Ghul where Rand will fight the Dark One. Military commander is Ituralde, while Aviendha will lead the channeleres. Other important channelers there are Cadsuane and Alivia. Rand will enter the cave, assisted by the two Aes Sedai he trusts most: Nynaeve al'Meara and Moiraine Damodred.
Before the war starts, Rand makes peace with Saenchan Empire. He convinces Tuon (with the help of Mat). He also has a bitch fight with Mat, whom of them have done better. Mats win it by saying that he has saved Moiraine.
The war starts. Graendal soon enough manages to use Compulsion (from the dream world) to all 4 great captains, making them sabotage the army. Lan finds that, but too late. Already 2/3 of his army is destroyed. Egwene is holding the Trollocs on Andor, untile the army of Sharaan (where the hell they were on the last 14 books?) come, commanded by the military leader of the forces of Shadow, Demandred himself. Aes Sedai suffer heavy casualties, and together with Bryne 'betrayel' they are almost collapsed. On the third front, Elaybe does well to find Bashere betrayel, but again too late. They are going to defeated. And then Logain comes with hundred(s) of Ashaman and saves the day for here. On the second front, Mat takes the charge of the Saenchan forces and gives heavy casualties to the Enemy Forces, saving the Aes Sedai. Ituralde stands better against the Compulsion, and somehow his forces maintain the standing.
After brief negotiations, all three fronts (bar that of Shayol Ghul) return to Field of Merrilin on a last standing. Lead by Mat. Soon enough, enemoies arrive, lead by Demandred.
Mat does well and against all odds (being outnumbered 4-1 on soldiers, with the enemy having better channelers too) manages to stand. However not without heavy casualties, and it is only a matter of time until the enemy will win. Demandred, during the entire time asks for Lews Therin to challenge him. He also leads both the army (and he is an awesome commander) and the channelers on a full circle to cause damage to the Light. Gawyn challenges him. And dies, sending Egwene on trans mode. Galad next, and loses his hand. The third one is Logain, who barely escapes. On the same time, Egwene is leading the Aes Sedai against the channelers, doing incredibly well.
Siuan Sanche
Gets killed by the Gray Men. Such a wonderful character, with such a bad end.
To, the point. Egwene fighting against the Mhael. She does well, but the Mhael has a saengral which gives him incredible strength. And then, seeing that the odds are against her, Egwene sacrificies herself, using the Flame of Tar Valon weave, killing hundreds of enemy channeleres, including the Mhael.
Egwene is dead - one of the best characters ever on the fantasy. At around the same time, Lan faces Demandred. Aided with Mat's medallion fox which gives immunity to channeling, Lan manages to kill him.
With Demandred gone, the enemy forces are under the command of Moghedien, who is pretty clueless. Olver sounds the Horn, making the heroes return to add them. Mat takes charge and soon enough, The Light is on the attack.
Perrin is during the entire time on the Wolf Dream, defending Rand from Slayer. He manages to kill Slayer and then goes to Shayol Ghul. He is aided by Lanfear, who looks to want the Shadow to be almost losing, before she will change the war.
During the entire time, Rand is on struggle against the Dark One (after a brief duel with Moridin). He sees countless viosions of what will happen, worlds with Shaitan dead and with Shaitan victorious. All bad. He realizes that he shouldn't kill Shaitan. He is also almost broken. Egwene ghost helps him to make a final fight. And he wins, resealing the prison on the process.
At the same time, Perrin kills Lanfear, who is going to change the fight by turning against the Light. He finds Faile and saves her. Mat kills Padan Fain.
People attend his funeral. Cadsuane becomes the new Amyrlin Seat. All is good.
Rand, in fact hasn't died. He has changed bodies - assisted by Alivia - but only 3 people know it. Elayne, Aviendha and Min. Well, and Cadsuane who guesses it. He isn't anymore the Dragon Reborn, he isn't anymore a channeler. He now, is just a normal boy - who can change the patterns as he wish, and do stuff without channeling
) is revealed. That's all for 500 pages or so. It is fecking annoying reading all that shit while nothing happens. Oh yeah, Rand fecked Elayne and apprently she is pregnant. With twins.
