{"id":1222,"date":"2025-07-31T11:18:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T15:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wot.jesse-carroll.com\/?p=1222"},"modified":"2025-08-27T23:03:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T03:03:55","slug":"chapter-52-there-is-neither-beginning-nor-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wot.jesse-carroll.com\/?p=1222","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 52: There Is Neither Beginning Nor End"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rand wakes up hung over from channeling and thinks he killed the Dark One. The Eye is gone, but they find a broken seal from the Dark One’s prison, the Horn of Valere, and the Dragon\u2019s banner in its place.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The chapter opens to Rand rolling around in some “oily” charred ashes. The ashes are vaguely Aginor-shaped, complete with bits that resemble his distinctive green cape. It’s impossible to read this and not<\/em> notice that this feels exactly like waking up in a puddle of vomit after being blackout drunk. What happened last night, Rand? Did things get a little crazy? Did you binge drink that tainted Power and the rest is a blur? Did you come back here after your meeting with Ba’alzamon and partied a little too hard with Aginor? Inquiring minds want to know.<\/p>\n

Rand then does what any hung-over person would do — put his head over the cliff’s edge and hurl. Still clearly inebriated, Rand stumbles downhill proclaiming, “Shai’tan is dead! Shai’tan is dead!”<\/p>\n

Yikes. Someone needs to get this man a coffee. Shai’tan is<\/em>, I believe, the Dark One’s proper name, and last time I checked, uttering this aloud tends to get you noticed. So unless you\u2019re absolutely<\/em> sure that was the Dark One you nuked, maybe it’s best to keep that word out of your vocab, Mr. Dragon.<\/p>\n

Not to put too fine a point on it, but you’ve already got enough trouble without actively inviting more. Those people who call you their friend? They’re gonna be scared<\/em> of you now, if they know you can channel. Case in point, Nynaeve comes right out and says it: “You’re too dangerous, Rand.” Ouch! At least Egwene doesn’t treat him any differently. Neither does Lan. Moiraine, as usual, simply wants to drag every last detail out of him. The others aren\u2019t asking, and Rand\u2019s not telling.<\/p>\n

Rand learns that the Eye is gone, and in its place stands a crystal column with steps leading up to it. The others retrieved artifacts from the cavern:<\/p>\n