The Great Hunt/Prologue

==Summary==
:
The man who calls himself Bors is at a gathering of summoned Darkfriends, assembled as though it were a social event. There are a hundred Darkfriends in attendence. They are all masked, but Bors notices a good number of them have not bothered to change their clothing or hide other clues. He is able to identify an Illianer noblewoman wearing a low cut scarlet dress and golden slippers; a Domani woman wearing a golden bracelet identifying her House; a Shienaran soldier; a Tinker wearing green pants and a yellow coat; a High Lord of Tear; an Andoran Queen's Guard; a Sea Folk man; two Aes Sedai; and people from Kandor, Cairhien, Saldaea, and Ghealdan. Bors is completely disguised so no one can identify him, even taking care to hide his height and build with a slouch.
The door opens and two Trollocs and a Myrddraal enter. The Myrddraal announces to the Darkfriends that their master comes. A red-masked man identifying himself as Ba'alzamon enters; he tells them that the room where they are gathered is near Shayol Ghul. Bors wonders if he really is the Dark One or if one of the Forsaken has been set free.
Ba'alzamon forms images of Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara and tells the Darkfriends to know them and await further instructions. He also says that the Dragon has been reborn, but has not yet declared himself so. The Shienaran asks if he is to be killed, but Ba'alzamon says it would be better if the Dragon were turned to serve him. He gives orders to each of the Darkfriends individually. He commands Bors to return to Tarabon and keep up his good work there. He is to keep a look out for the three ta'veren, but also to keep quiet about those who have landed on Toman Head. He then sees images of the Shayol Ghul sky, a young woman dressed in white, a raven, a Seanchan soldier, the Horn of Valere, and a wolf. These are subliminal commands that have been implanted into Bors.
Escorted by a Zomara, Bors nervously returns to his room and hastily dons his normal clothes; wondering if the promise of immortality was worth a meeting such as this. His garments are that of a Whitecloak Questioner.
==Characters==
*Jaichim Carridin - as the man who called himself Bors (first appearance)
*Ba'alzamon
*Shaidar Haran - as the Myrddraal (first appearance)
*Liandrin - as an Aes Sedai (first appearance)
*Ingtar Shinowa - as the Shienaran warrior
*Zomaran - as servants
===Referenced ===
*Dark One - as Great Lord of the Dark
*Rand al'Thor
*Mat Cauthon
*Perrin Aybara
==Groups==
*Forsaken
*Tuatha'an
*Sea Folk
*Aes Sedai
*Children of the Light
===Referenced===
*Seanchan - as those who have landed at Toman Head
*Hundred Companions
==Places==
*Near Shayol Ghul
===Referenced===
*Shayol Ghul
*Shienar
*Tear
*Illian
*Tarabon
*Toman Head
*Arad Doman
*Kandor
*Cairhien
*Saldaea
*Ghealdan
*Andor
*Almoth Plain
==Events==
*Darkfriend Social
===Referenced===
*The Dark One's Day of Return
==Concepts==
*Shadow
*Dragon Reborn