The Eye of the World/Chapter 43

Matrim Cauthon
==Summary==
:
Loial describes the creation of The Ways by male channelers during the Breaking of the World. He also describes the Ogier trials with the Exile, the Longing and the search for stedding. The Ways connect distant points that have a Waygate but are not really part of the world. Travel between Waygates is much faster than travel in the usual ways.
Male channelers were invited to the stedding so they could hopefully hold off going insane. Many came and stayed for a time. They could not accept being cut off from the True Source for too long and eventually they all left, hoping that the taint was gone but it never was. This either prolonged the Breaking or prevented it from being worse. Aes Sedai still debate the issue, with the Red Ajah believing the former and the Blue Ajah believing the latter.
As a gift to the Ogier for their kindness, the male Aes Sedai created The Ways and gave the Ogier a talisman which could be used to create more Waygates. As the Ogier found more lost steddings after the Breaking, they created Waygates right outside them so that the Ogier could travel between them safely.
About a thousand years ago during the War of the Hundred Years the Ways became corrupted and those that entered either did not return or came out senseless. It is assumed that the corruption comes from the fact that they were created by the male half of the Power, which is tainted by the Dark One. Having explained all that, Loial does not see enough reason to use The Ways. Moiraine gives more information about the Eye of the World, saying that it is a place of great power and could be harnessed by the Dark One to break free of his prison. And because the forces of the Shadow know about it, the danger is imminent. But because they are three ta'veren, bending the Pattern around them, perhaps the three of them combined could be harnessed to save the world from this danger.
Moiraine cannot force any of them to go, but Rand agrees, trying to sound strong. Egwene refuses to stay behind in a safe place while the others go into danger, so she will go as well. Loial cannot resist the call of adventure and the chance to meet the Green Man, so he reluctantly agrees to go. Eventually it is agreed that they will all go to Fal Dara via The Ways, regardless of the dangers. They spend much of the night planning the trip and compiling a list of needed supplies. Rand tries to get Egwene to stay behind, but she recalls what Min said about her and Nynaeve being part of their trouble. Egwene asks who Elayne is but does not believe Rand that she is the Daughter-Heir of Andor. After a bath everyone heads to their rooms to get some sleep.
Rand is in the dream room with Ba'alzamon again. This time there are three figures on the table which clearly depict Rand, Mat and Perrin. Ba'alzamon tries again to get Rand to submit to him, but Rand takes Moiraine's earlier advice and denies him every time. When Rand wakes up, he sees Mat muttering in his sleep about denying the Dark One. Rand wakes him and finds out that he was having a similar dream. Ba'alzamon tricked Mat into picking up the figure with the dagger, which lets Ba'alzamon know exactly who he is. Still, though, Rand does not think that the Dark One knows everything.
==Characters==
* Rand al'Thor
* Loial
* Mat Cauthon
* Moiraine Damodred
* Ba'alzamon
* Nynaeve al'Meara
* Egwene al'Vere
* Lan Mandragoran
* Perrin Aybara
* Basel Gill
===Referenced===
* Green Man
* Elder Haman
* Min Farshaw
* Elayne Trakand
* Lamgwin Dorn
* Machin Shin
* Dark One
* Morgase Trakand
* Tam al'Thor
* Abell Cauthon
==Groups==
===Referenced===
* Ogier
* Whitecloaks
==Items==
* Ruby-hilted dagger
===Referenced===
* Talisman of Growing
==Places==
* Caemlyn
* The Queen's Blessing
===Referenced===
* The Ways
* Tar Valon
* Fal Dara
* Shayol Ghul
* Blasted Lands
* Eye of the World
* Stedding Shangtai
* Blight
* Inner City
==Events==
===Referenced===
* Trolloc Wars
* Breaking of the World
* War of the Hundred Years
==Concepts==
* Pattern
* ta'veren
* Light
==Culture==
* Dragon's Fang
* Longing
* Taint
* Shadow
==One Power==
* True Source
* Healing