Before Rand many people had claimed to be the Dragon Reborn, one such was Mazrim Taim. He was a man who could channel and had led a rebellion in his native Saldaea, until he was captured by the Aes Sedai, but somehow escaped. Lord Bashere, uncle to Queen Tenobia of Saldaea had come with over nine thousand horsemen, to put an end to him, though events had caused Lord Bashere to come into service of Rand al'Thor, the true Dragon Reborn.

And now the man, Mazrim Taim, stood before him. The maidens of the Spear that guarded Rand stood calmly, prepared for battle should the man in front of them prove a threat. The Andorans scared witless at the presence of another man who could channel, had been sent away by Rand al'Thor so they wouldn't do something foolish while pretending to be brave.

Tumad and the Saldaean soldiers who had escorted him in had their swords pointed at his back. Though he seemed unaware of it.

Bashere chose to break the silence, "You say you're Mazrim Taim?" sounding doubtful and Rand looked at him in confusion, thinking that only a fool would claim the name if it was not his.

"I shaved Bashere, it is hot these days, hotter than it should be. Do you want proof of me? Would you like me to channel for you? Perhaps not. I remember you. I had you beat at Irinjavar until those visions appeared in the sky, but everyone knows that…" Taim said, his voice mocking. Focussed on Bashere he seemed unaware of anyone else. " I hear that you covered up what I did to Musar and Hachari and their wives. They shouldn't have tried to kill me under a parley flag. I trust you found them good places as servants, that's all they'll want to do now, Serve and Obey. All four of them drew daggers at me." Said Taim, relating what had happened.

"Taim, You!" Bashere said, his hand darting for his hilt…

To the side, hidden behind a Time Screen built with the Power, stood four figures, who had been watching the goings on for a while. One of them was a tall man, well over seven feet tall, with an aura of violence around him, next to him stood two men, neither reaching much higher than his shoulder. A blond haired woman stood a small distance behind them. They all seemed focused on the confrontation now occurring.

"Well, this is interesting. This man Taim deserves study, how old do you think he is Ranma", said one of them.

"Two hundred and fifty, perhaps three hundred. We can deal with him later, Right now we are here for other matters", said the man he was talking with. He was the shortest of the three, with blue eyes, and a beautiful face, that seemed to glow, still bearing some signs of his Japanese descent. The faces of the others seemed to glow as well, to lesser degrees, though it was not really a glow. It was more as if life and power shone from them.

"Will you please help him grandfather?" said the girl.

She was answered by the tall man, while the man she directed her question to remained silent. "The boy is weak Ilyena. He thinks only with his emotions. Thinking only of what he must and must not do, without understanding the purpose behind his thoughts, or just how foolish some of his actions can be. He is almost incapable of learning our arts, or the self discipline required to use them wisely. If we share our knowledge with him, he will almost inevitably cause more harm than good."

On the other side of the screen, the conversation had progressed, "Did you come here to see me, or to taunt Lord Bashere Taim? If you do it again, I'll let him kill you, my amnesty pardons your crimes but it doesn't allow you to flaunt them."

"Well you can't really blame him. It is not like you were much better at his age Ranma", one of the men.

"True, Bremen. However, by his age, I had greater understanding of what humans are, and what path I would eventually follow. He understands nothing. I agree that he is not to blame for his way of thinking, but that also does not mean that he deserves our help." said the man called Ranma.

"The fact is though that without our help, this world will suffer and die. We cannot allow that. We must help them." Bremen said directing his comment to Ranma.

The tall man answered instead, his voice heavy and rumbling,"You truly are Aes Sedai Bremen. We on the other hand do not see things with your limited understanding. Only through war and chaos and the human race grow strong. If we save them, then they will remain weak and ultimately perish. Only a war that crushes the weak, can restore the balance of the human race in this world. Only a desperate war can heal the disease that the existence of only these female Aes Sedai has caused here."

"You think only of battle Raoh. You and your Warriors. How can you think that you have a better understanding of them than someone who has spent years studying the best ways of government. I say that the stability caused by these Aes Sedai solving conflicts and keeping the peace, can be useful, even if there is some stagnation. The human race might have died otherwise." Said Bremen.

"In this you are wrong my friend", said Ranma finally speaking, Raoh was reborn after having lived within me, he too bears within him the Musotensei, You have great sight, but some knowledge requires understanding that transcends the passing of millennia. You do not fully understand, the implications of your actions as yet. Even so, there are ways to heal the human race. Too much war might could create another type of imbalance. We must tread carefully if we indeed decide to help these people"

"So you are going to help them" said Bremen. Raoh focused a dark look on him.

"That is yet to be decided"

Ilyena spoke up then, "At least, you can speak to him grandfather. He is Lews Therin after all. At least help him with the taint, he may be able to solve his problems then. Did you hear him just now, he spoke of the crimes of the Forsaken during the War of Shadow, no library of this time contains all of that information."

They all looked at her. It was clear that each was thinking different thoughts.

Over in the court yard Taim had just suggested a compact between them. Rand al'Thor almost seemed to explode with rage "No compact!" he growled, "I am the Dragon Reborn Taim! Me! If you have knowledge you can make use of, I will, but you will go where I say, do as I say, when I say!"

Without a pause Taim got on his knees, "I submit to the Dragon Reborn, I will serve and obey", he said, an almost smile playing on his lips. At this Rand almost seemed to quiver with rage.

"Perhaps, we should simply ignore him, and work on our own. Giving him weapons and knowledge will only invite disaster, unless we force our self discipline training on him, since he won't be willing to learn it himself. Not to mention that if he meets with any of the younger Warriors with that kind of attitude, he'll be lucky to escape with his life." Said Ranma

"The Warriors also need to learn more self-control", said Bremen.

"They serve their purpose" Ranma replied.

The Aes Sedai, the Warriors and the Seekers lived separately, so misunderstandings did occur from time to time. Plus the Warriors were a society of very powerful channelers. They worked fine among themselves, but they had never been meant to live among non-channelers. Working for ever greater strength and knowledge of the ways of battle, a non-channeler would be little more than cattle to them. For that matter even Bremen's Aes Sedai would be cattle although they had grown to a level beyond the Aes Sedai of the so called Age of Legends. As well that the three groups resided on separate planets. Since none of them would be particularly likely to appreciate the others. The seekers under Ranma had their own objectives, that lay somewhere between the Aes Sedai's desire to serve, and the Warriors desires for pleasure and power. And none of the groups really considered the others to be on the right path.

For centuries now, since the original split, the different groups had gone their own way seeking their own forms of perfection. And today, Bremen, Ranma, and Raoh, the heads of each of the organizations of male channelers(though the Aes Sedai also contained female channelers), would make a decision that could end the separation of the groups, leading to a contamination of the ideals upon which the organizations were built, through the mixing with the other groups, and none of them were pleased at the prospect. Yet the plea made by Ilyena Therin Moerelle on behalf of her former husband, must be judged, and judged fairly by the Laws that Ranma and the other First Ones had set up when they first created the three organizations…

They watched. On the other side of the screen Taim was talking about finding male channelers, "…I can do both, I have found five over the years, not that I was really looking, but only one had the courage to go beyond the testing. He went mad after two years. I had to kill him before he killed me."

"You've withstood it a much longer time. How?" asked Rand

"Worried? I don't know how. I just did. I'm as sane as… Lord Bashere here."

Over behind the screen Ranma said, " I estimate three years before the madness takes complete control of the young dragon."

"Fools deserve their fate." Said Raoh.

"I vote that we help them." Said Bremen.

"Oh very well… but I will not bring my Seekers into this." Said Ranma and then looked towards Raoh, "This could be an interesting opportunity. We would have people to teach from the start, with varying backgrounds. Variety is a good thing. Perhaps they will even produce a few True Warriors."

Raoh looked at him a twinkle in his dark eyes, "I will accept your choice in this brother."

Ranma smiled, a strange smile, and a cold light shone in his eyes. Raoh smiled also, the air of violence about him grew as in preperation for battle. Bremen seemed to look a bit uncomfortably at the two. And Ilyena moved behind them, as Ranma waved his hand and dissolved the shield, and suddenly they were standing in a small clearing of people a small distance from Rand. All heads turned towards them.

Rand had been talking to Taim, he was worried, Taim may seem to be sane but, he seemed unconcerned by the maidens standing ready to kill him should he seem a thread, not to mention Tumad and his men standing behind him with swords. Was it bravery or a kind of madness. Then he felt something. A disturbance in the pattern, like he remembered sensing once near a vacuole a long time ago. A vacuole? And then he saw four people standing before him. All three men were tall, with powerful frames. Two were about the same height as him, but the other stood considerably taller. He would have been amazed at the strange group with some golden haired woman standing behind them that he now noticed, except that he felt… Power! A weight of authority and inner strength he had never before imagined. And he could feel violence from the tall one. It was not like the power of Saidin. All he could say about it was that it made his skin crawl. The one in the middle, seemed familiar for some reason, there was a peaceful feeling coming from him. If peace could be coupled with imminent and unstoppable death. The last one just seemed relaxed, an air of wisdom seemed to surround him, but even in him Rand could sense a feel of power he had never before imagined. Instantly he reached for Saidin through the Angreal, drawing as much as he could, and he felt as if Lews Therin had tried to reach for it as well. "Who are you? What do you want?" he said loudly, feeling a sliver of fear crawling down his spine as he looked at them. He felt that Taim had also seized Saidin. In fact he was holding even more than Rand himself could unaided. He had thought himself as strong as it was possible to be, but obviously he was wrong. He looked from Taim back to the people, the maidens had all moved forward towards them, spears raised, and Tumad and the rest were taking defensive positions to protect him and Bashere. Something told him that if he fought these people he would not survive, and neither would the maidens. And if he attacked them… what if the woman behind them got hurt. No! he had to think of his own people, only…

The one in the middle spoke, "Come now child, is that any way to speak to your grandfather" a smile spreading across his face, though that did not decrease the fear that Rand was feeling. And he could see that the maidens had also become aware of that feeling. The look in some eyes he saw, was that of surrendering to a foe that you could never fight, and that in itself seemed to be killing them as they fought to maintain their positions, he hated seeing them like this. The men all seemed to have turned to statues.

"Now, now " the man said, looking at the people around him "You needn't fear for your lives, we mean you no harm at present."

As the man's words began to sink in, Rand finally regained some control of himself, now that he thought about it he thought that some of that fear had come from Lews Therin, along with a few pleas to run, to escape somehow, then a thought occurred to him, "You say that you're my grandfather?" he directed to the man in the middle. "I don't believe you. What proof do you have?" said Rand though he could see now why he had felt that the man looked familiar, something about that face seemed similar to his own, though he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Since the proof born of an analysis of blood would be too much for someone like you to comprehend. I won't bother trying to show you right now. You will have to take my word for it, that I am your grandfather and am here to consider helping you along with my brothers here." The tall man looked to the man on the other side of his supposed grandfather with the utmost contempt.

"As for the possibility of my being an enemy." The man said, and Rand felt him sieze Saidin, he thought he felt the air ripple around the man, and the amounts of Saidin he felt… That one man was holding more than him and Taim combined, maybe more than ten times he and Taim combined. He could not match it without Callandor, he channeled, 'balefire', he thought desperately and he felt Taim trying to weave something something that would but the men to pieces, and then suddenly he felt a barrier between him and Saidin, and as Saidin left him he saw that Taim had also been shielded. The man did not look pleased. The fear rose in him again, this time echoing Lews Therin, and he could hear Lews Therin's voice… 'why didn't you run when I told you to. You waited too long…' and then he heard a wail inside his head, as Lews Therin began to vanish, only something stopped him. Lews Therin was still there. He looked towards the man who had claimed to be his grandfather, and saw that he was using some some weaves on him. Weaves he could not even begin to understand. Not with all of Asmodean's teachings. Something seemed to be happening to Lews Therin, he felt a burst of pain, and then it was as if Lews Therin had fallen unconscious. But there was one thing he knew. Lews Therin was now sane. And that when he woke up again, Rand would no longer be able to hold his body against Lews Therin's will.

"What have you done?!?" Rand asked in terror.

"I have healed the madness within you, and healed your former self" he replied.

"I am Rand al'Thor, this is my body, and my life, not Lews Therin's I won't let him have it!" Rand screamed.

Everyone around him looked shocked at what he said, no doubt thinking that he had gone mad.

"We will speak when you have come back to your senses." Said the man, he saw the man channel, there was pain, and then suddenly he was asleep dreaming. Dreaming of his wife and the time they had had together. Dreaming of Ilyena."

Ranma stood there as his grandson fainted from the beginnings of the merging process. Of course, his protectors were not taking his sudden fainting well, and seemed to correctly deduce that he was responsible. Especially when he opened a gateway and sent both Rand and Taim to the other side. The Saldaeans and the Aiel maidens both surged forward, in attack. 'Choices…' He wove Saidin lifting them all into the air, and binding their hands and feet. 'Childish behavior.' He thought. Then he looked to wards Bashere. The child was one of his agents. "It will take sometime for Rand to adapt to the changes from his healing. He will likely not wake for a week, and even so, I will not allow him to return for at least a week afterwards, once I'm sure that he can handle the taint on Saidin on his own. Among other things. Keep things stable here until we return."

"Yes M'Lord. I will…" Bashere started, but Sulin broke in. "We carry the honor of the caracarn. We must go with him to see to his protection."

'Childish' Ranma thought again, still he knew better than to point out that they had not done a good job of it, and that Rand should not really be expected to need it. Obviously Raoh disagreed with him.

"You pitiful creatures couldn't protect him from a hoard of angry insects, much less the forces he must face. Your presence only serves to make him more vulnerable by having him have to take care of you as well." Said Raoh.

Bremen just remained silent.

'Oh well…' He focused on Sulin, "I am Shaiel's father, and thus the child's grandfather. He is with family. He will be taken care of". He could see the shame on the maiden's faces. 'No point in causing needless problems'. "Select one other besides yourself and come with me." Ranma said. 'Watching these Aiel interact with his guardians might be interesting.'

He released the lot, and the maidens except for Sulin again surged forward, though this time the Saldaeans atleast had come to their senses. He picked them up again, and this time tied a knot that would release them in a few minutes. "On second thought, your maidens lack all self control, pick one of the Saldaeans and come."

Bashere who had been watching all this, decided to speak at this time, "If I may sir, Tumad is the head of the guard here. Perhaps you can take him."

Ranma only nodded, then directed his attention at Sulin and Tumad, motioning for them to come, as he and the rest walked through the gateway. The workers had already moved Rand and that child Taim's body to the restoration wing.

Well he'd give Sulin and the other child a chance to see that Rand was alright, and then leave them in Ilyena's hands. So he could get back to his work. He had better uses for his time than baby sitting. Especially If he was going to help Rand or Lews Therin as he would soon be again, train students. 'The Dark One might yet prove to be an interesting adversary.' As a small smile seemed to appear on his face.

END CHAPTER 1