Here is my plot line for The Fires of Heaven :
In the Waste : Asmodean teaches Rand to shield his dreams, to channel, to travel. He learns Couladin has taken an army of Aiel and is marching on Cairhein. Rand realizes that his army from Tear is in Cairhein, so he and his Aiel army set off for there also. Egwene, Moiraine, Mat and Lan go with him.
In Saldaea: Fear runs rampant. Trollocs are everywhere, the Blight creeps closer. Queen Tenobia is viciously murdered; no one saw anyone enter her chambers, but that doesn't make her any less dead. Runners are sent out searching for the heir- apparent, who ran off some 8 months ago. Reward is offered for any info of where Zarine Bashere might be found...
Near Saldaea: A faction of BA have helped Mazrim Taim to escape. His joy at being free is short-lived; he soon discovers he is a pet of the BA, and is forced to do nefarious things under the name of Rand Al'Thor. Rumors of Rand Al'Thor's "madness" and cruelty travel like the wind...
In the Tower: Elaida's joy at being Amyrlin at last is also short- lived. She learns she is under the control of the BA (Alviarin and Danelle) and that Siuan Sanche and Leanne did truly walk in the Light. She is told they never could have pulled off the coup without Elaida's help, and when the BA finally get their hands on the 3 Accepted Brats, they will all be turned to the Shadow. Then Elaida is stilled...
In Caemlyn: The armies of Andor are preparing to march to Cairhein under Lord Gaebril's orders. Morgase hears of the coup in the Tower, and is worried about Elayne, Galad and Gawyn. She confronts Gaebril. She orders that the troops stay at home and a small contingent escort her to Tar Valon. Gaebril/Rahvin decides he is tired of playing with this particular queen. He says no, they march on Cairhein. Morgase -"Just who do you think you are??!!". He responds "It's about time I told you. I am Rahvin, you stupid bitch! *I* am in control here. We march on Cairhein." Morgase is horrified. She sends a note via Tallvanor to Gareth Bryne. He reads it, and then is almost killed by a grey man. He flees Caemlyn, vowing to return to save his Queen...
Meanwhile, back at home: Tam, Abel, the Luhhans, and the Al'Vere's sit Perrin and Faile down and ask them to tell them what is going on. What are they involved in? Where are Mat, Rand , Egwene and Ny, really? Why have Perrin's eyes changed color, etc. Perrin and Faile are forced to tell them the truth ("Perrin, they deserve to know".) Tam seems to be not too surprised. He *has* been out in the world, and knows the Prophecies after all. A peddler comes to town and announces the news out of Tar Valon, Tear and Saldaea - the Tower has fallen, the Tairen army marches on Cairhein, and good Queen Tenobia of Saldaea is dead, the Light protect her soul. According to the peddler, they are now looking for Zarine Bashere, who will be Queen. And the Dragon Reborn is outside Saldaea. He is called Rand AL'Thor, and has gone mad and started breaking the world, first with Saldaea. Perrin and Faile are stunned and overwhelmed. They decide to go to Saldaea to put Faile on the throne and for Perrin to try to reason with "Rand". ("how did he get from Tear to Saldaea??" "Well, he *is* the Bloody Dragon Reborn!!"). Now, when Perrin, Faile, Tam, Alanna and some others are about to leave, no sign can be found of Verin. Her warder is found dead...
Meanwhile in tanchico: the Seanchan attack, taking the city. Elayne is captured and leashed. Ny fights her way free (with the Dream Ring). Ny tells Egwene about it through the DreamWorld. Offshore Egeanin and Bayle Domon are captured, before dumping the sad bracelets into the Mariana trench. Suroth knows what to do with those bracelets...
Rand, while marching to Cairhein, learns from Egwene about the attack and Elayne's capture. He and Mat travel or portal stone to Tanchico. To cover up his Aiel looks, Rand disguises himself as a blind beggar. Mat is captured. Mat and Elayne are shipped off to Seanchan. There the daughter of the Nine Moons takes a liking to Mat, and inspects him. She finds the Raven and the Tower symbols on him. To save him, she marries him. It all happened too fast for him to follow...
Gareth Bryne meets up with SS, Leanne, Logain, Min and others (including Sheriam and Anaiya). They sneak into Caemlyn to find that Rahvin has killed Morgase. Bryne kills Rahvin, whom they surprised. Padan Fain, although present, is not noticed, and he slips away... Now the armies of Andor have started marching, and there is no one to stop them. Where is that fool girl Elayne???
Gawyn hears there is turmoil in Andor and leaves the Tower.
The Seanchan armies take all of the west coast, almost to Saldaea, and Mazrim Taim, who they think is Rand and the Dragon, is sad braceleted. Faile and Perrin, now in Saldaea, stop the advancing hoard. They think Rand has been captured.
The Seanchan army now turns west, to attack the Tower, and salt the ground it stands on...
Rand, who snuck onto the ship carrying Mat and Elayne to Seanchan, sneaks into Elayne's room. He finds her collared, but the bracelet is hanging empty on a peg. They embrace, while a sul'dam sneaks up on them, and puts the bracelet around Rand's wrist. They both start to die screaming. In their pain, they both touch the source, channeling enough to cause the earth to shudder. Back at home, Dragonmount errupts, and fires rain down from Heaven. A seal is broken somewhere. Back in Seanchan, Mat runs to their aid, kills the sul'dam, and cuts off Rand's hand with his spear. They cauterize it with a white hot iron.
Meanwhile, Egwene and some Aiel have left the main army to head towards the Tower. they meet Gareth Byrne and Co. They proclaim Egwene Amyrlin. In walks Gawyn, who grabs her about the neck and asks "Where is my sister?". Egwene tells him, and convinces him that they fight for the Dragon and the Light. At his time, the ash from Dragonmount obliterates the sun, plunging them all into dark. When the ash subsides, and the sun shines again, Gawyn says "Then you just fight for the Light. Word comes from the Seanchan South of Saldaea. Rand Al'Thor is dead." They are all shocked. (Of course, *Taim* is dead now, killed by too much sad bracelet channeling; Rand just needs a hand about now.)
The good Aiel (under Rhuarc) and the Tairen Army defeat Couladin's army before the Andor army arrives. Word is out that Morgase is dead, and so is Rand Al'thor. The sun is obliterated by ash, and when the ash clears, Rand and Elayne (having traveled) stand amongst them, shining like the sun. Thus is Elayne crowned Queen. Thus does the day dawn twice.
Thus book 5 ends with Elayne Queen and Rand probable King of Andor. He places Moiraine on the throne of Cairhein. The Seanchan hold most of the west (except Saldaea) and Tar Valon. Mat is still with the Seanchan, not having been able to escape. Faile is Queen of Saldaea. She, Perrin and the Two-Rivers folk, along with Gareth Byrne's Company (SS, Logain, Egwene, etc) all believe Rand to be dead.
Thus when the time shall come, the Dragon will burn us for his pain, and the fires from heaven will rain down upon us. And in his pain shall be his joy, that his wounds of madness might be healed. What cutting of hope is this? Oh, People, pray for his pain, that we might have fire, and blood, and healing. And the Light will shine once more.
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