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| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TEotW,Ch49'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/leaves_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Leaves Chapter Icon'}] ''[TEotW|The Eye of the World]: Meetings at the Eye'' %% 
| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TEotW,Ch51' align='right'}]
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! __Rand__ POV

%%blue [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred]%%, [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran], [Rand|Rand alThor], [Perrin|Perrin Aybara], [Mat|Matrim Cauthon], [Loial], [Egwene|Egwene alVere] and [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] accompany the [Green Man|Someshta] to a cave. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] asks about the [Tree of Life|Avendesora]. The [Green Man|Someshta] gives [Rand|Rand alThor] an odd look[1] and says he has not seen it in two thousand years.[2] He tells them the [Eye of the World] was made in the first days of the Breaking. It was made by a hundred men and women working together, and they died in the process. Guarding the [Eye of the World] was not what the [Green Man|Someshta] was made for.[3] The [Green Man|Someshta] stays behind while the others enter the cave and walk to a strange pool. [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred] says the [Eye of the World] has enough power to mend the [seals|Seals] on the [Dark One|ShaiTan]'s prison or to break it open. It is the pure essence of %%ot [saidin|Said]%%. No one living knows why it was made. When they leave the cave two men approach, [Aginor] and [Balthamel]. [Aginor] wears a dark green cloak and sounds like [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael], extremely arrogant and greedy. He was close behind [Ishamael] and [Lews Therin|Lews Therin Telamon] in strength. [Balthamel] wears a dark gray cloak and a grinning mask.[4] [Aginor] says [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] guided them, "an old thing, an old friend, an old enemy".[5] He says "the [seals|Seals] weaken, some of us are bound no longer, like [Ishamael] we walk the world again."[6] Looking toward the [Eye of the World], [Aginor] says "so long without."[7] [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] starts towards [Aginor] and is thrown back. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] lunges at him and [Balthamel] grabs her. As [Aginor] looks at [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] he licks his lips and says, "I have nearly forgotten the pleasures of the flesh, but [Balthamel] remembers much." [Aginor] says he might teach [Rand|Rand alThor]. The [Green Man|Someshta] arrives and tells them to leave. [Balthamel] starts burning him and the [Green Man|Someshta] grabs him. Before the [Green Man|Someshta] collapses, [Balthamel] begins rotting and dies. As the [Green Man|Someshta] dies he touches an acorn and an oak tree grows. [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred] tries to slow [Aginor] but he easily escapes her weaves. Everyone runs and [Aginor] follows [Rand|Rand alThor].
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More [Category Rand POV|Rand POV]
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)


[#1] Because %%ot [Avendesora]%% is in [Rhuidean] ([TSR,Ch24]) and the [Green Man|Someshta] thinks [Rand|Rand alThor] is [Aiel].\\
[#2] That would be right after the [Trolloc Wars]. Is this an error? Or [Someshta]'s faulty memory? Or is this part of his history that Robert Jordan has not disclosed yet? \\
[#3] The [Green Man|Someshta] was "made."\\
[#4] Could this be [Mat|Matrim Cauthon]'s laughing face from [Min|Min Farshaw]'s [viewing|viewings]? ([TEotW,Ch15])\\
[#5] The [ruby dagger|Ruby Dagger].\\
[#6] More evidence that [Ishamael] is already free.\\
[#7] Without the [One Power].\\
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