Wheel of Time Book 4: The Shadow Rising

At the beginning of the book, all major protagonists are together at the Stone of Tear, where Rand al'Thor had recently, at the end of The Dragon Reborn, shown to the world that he was the Dragon Reborn by wielding Callandor.

Selene reveals herself to be Lanfear, one of the Forsaken, and tells Rand to join her. The Stone of Tear is then stormed by Trollocs and Fades (though Lanfear did not have anything to do with this [in fact, she has her own shadowspawn to battle the attacker's]). Rand uses Callandor to send a lightning storm to kill all of the Trollocs and Fades.

Rand declares his intention to go follow the People of the Dragon, the Aiel, into their home, the Aiel Waste. Mat Cauthon, Egwene al'Vere, and Moiraine Damodred resolve to accompany him. Perrin Aybara, after hearing rumors of trouble in Two Rivers, chooses to return home to the Two Rivers, and Faile Bashere goes with him. Elayne Trakand, Nynaeve al'Meara, and Thom Merrilin decide to go to Tarabon to hunt the Black Ajah. Also Min Farshaw arrives in Tar Valon to report to the Amyrlin Siuan Sanche inadvertently setting off a chain of events that will lead to a Tower split. Thus, The Shadow Rising follows four groups of characters in four main plotlines.