From over the sea there were whispers, after the battle at Falme. Whispers of revolution, of fire and blood and the Seanchan destroyed. Destroyed by one man. Only the Aes Sedai knew who he was. They said (when Rand pressed them) that he was the Oncoming Storm. That he was more dangerous than any channeller. That his anger broke entire worlds and peoples. Like the Ogier, he was gentle until he was anger was roused, after which he was implacable.

When one of the Seanchan was found at Tear and Rand interrogated her, all she would say was that the Oncoming Storm had been a peaceful visitor, with a blonde haired female companion. The day he had arrived, a white headed hawk flew away from the capital and flocks of birds circled repeatedly overhead. That in itself should have warned them. He had seen the a'dam and a sul'dam and her damane and gone to the Empress herself and demanded that they be outlawed.

For his insolence, his friend had been taken for execution. Then it had been found that she could channel and she was chained to an a'dam and ordered to kill her friend. She refused, and was tortured for it.

It was then, the prisoner whispered, that the man had revealed himself. He was the Lord of Time , the master of its Wheel, and his rage now knew no bounds. The royal palace soon burned, the a'dam broke with but a sound from his strange metal wand, the beasts of war went mad at his mere presence, turning on their masters. He then hunted the remaining damane with ruthless efficiency, freeing them and turning them on their former mistresses. After that, he watched, unmoved, as the Empress herself got on her knees to beg for mercy as the empire of Hawkwing's children burned. Taking his companions hand, he said coldly, "I gave you a chance. You didn't take it. I give no second chances." Then he turned and left, walking into his strange blue box (Rand assumed it was some sort of ter-angreal ) and disappearing without a backward glance.

The woman had been weeping uncontrollably at the end, and Rand found himself believing her.

"Once I ruled the Court of the Nine Moons. The Lord of Time destroyed it all. Beware, Dragon, beware, there is no power that the Oncoming Storm cannot sweep away. Not even yours," she said, and Rand realised with a jolt that this was the Empress herself.

"One last question. Is he a Darkfriend?" Rand asked, inwardly hoping he wasn't.

"Shadowspawn? No, I do not think so. He was peaceful until he saw the damane. Then he became very… angry," she said quietly.

Rand eyed her for a moment, then nodded and left. Now all he had to do was to stop the Aiel muttering about the return of the Lonely God, the one who would save them from a danger they could not foresee. He sighed. Sometimes he just wanted to be a shepherd again, not the bloody Dragon Reborn. But as a certain Time Lord could have told him, rarely do ta'veren get what they want. Or if they do get it, they promptly wish that they hadn't.