Other Wheel of Time inspired writing Projects:
The Travels of Jain Farstrider: Project Overview:
https://hollowordsofthemad.com/2024/12/18/the-travels-of-jain-farstrider/

The Travels of Jain Farstrider Chapter 1: https://hollowordsofthemad.com/2024/12/18/thetravelsofjainfarstrider/

Introducing Winds of the Fourth Age: Tales from After the Last Battle

For fans of The Wheel of Time, the story didn’t end with the Last Battle. The threads woven by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson left a world forever changed; a world where peace came at an incredible cost, and new struggles awaited the surviving heroes and nations of the Westlands. Inspired by the intricate lore and depth of Jordan’s vision, I’ve embarked on a personal project to explore the untold stories of the Fourth Age, where some of our leads ended up and what struggles they face in rebuilding the world.

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What is Winds of the Fourth Age?

Winds of the Fourth Age is a ten-part series of interconnected short stories set in the immediate aftermath of the Last Battle. These tales follow key characters as they navigate political upheaval, reconstruction, and personal transformation in a world forever altered by the Dragon’s victory.

Each story focuses on a different character or region, but all are bound together by a shared, lingering threat: the corrupted Ways, once a wonder of the Age of Legends, now twisted remnants of the Shadow’s touch. As new nations rise and old powers shift, the true danger emerges; not from the armies of the Dark One, but from the unseen paths beneath the surface, still pulsing with malevolence.

Note from the author:
When I began this project, I had only read A Memory of Light once. shortly after its release. As of December 2024, I was mid-re-read and reworking the project to better align with canon.

Update: I finished my second read of A Memory of Light on March 28, 2025. The outline has since been refined to focus on character-driven stories with stronger connective threads; especially the mystery of the Ways.

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Outline of the Stories

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1. The Wolf King’s Burden (Perrin and Faiel)

Perrin and Faile return to the Two Rivers; now poised to become the beating heart of a reborn Manetheren. Faile has ascended as Queen of Saldaea, and their union elevates Perrin from local lord to true king, ruling over two lands brought together by blood, fire, and unity. But as Perrin tries to lead with humility and reason, the world keeps pushing him toward legend.

• He creates a bounty system for hunting remaining Shadowspawn which strains political ties with Andor, especially as Elayne rules from Cairhien and sees Caemlyn as sacred ground.
• The Two Rivers begins asserting de facto independence, with support from Saldaean military and merchant networks.
• The ruins of Caemlyn, abandoned and desecrated by the Shadow, become the target for reconstruction as Manetheren’s future capital.
• Shadowspawn movements through the Ways signal a deeper, coordinated threat.
• Perrin becomes the first to suspect that the Ways are not decaying; but evolving, guided by a dark intelligence.
• This marks the beginning of a larger continental investigation that will eventually unite nations against a final, hidden enemy.

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2. The Lioness Reigns (Elayne Trakand)

Elayne struggles to maintain control of a fractured Andor and Cairhien while enforcing the Dragon’s Peace. Her alliance with Perrin becomes strained as Manetheren’s rebirth threatens to shift power.

• Caemlyn’s ruins may become Manetheren’s new capital.
• Her newborn children with Rand remain in the background as symbols of the Age to come.
• Reports of Waygate disturbances reach her court, raising new alarms.

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3. A Shadow of Justice (Galad Damodred)

Galad, scarred but alive, must reshape the Children of the Light for a world no longer divided by prophecy.

• He battles corruption within the Children and prejudice from without.
• A relationship with Berelain challenges his ideals.
• His pursuit of justice uncovers old Waygates along ancient battle routes; now active again.

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4. The Flame of Knowledge (Janya Frende & Seaine Herimon)

Under Amyrlin Seat Cadsuane, Janya Frende of the Brown Ajah and Seaine Herimon of the White Ajah are tasked with rebuilding the shattered White Tower archives and uncovering any knowledge that might aid in the world’s healing. But what begins as a research project becomes something much greater: a quest to uncover the truth behind the corruption of the Ways; and how to cleanse them.

• The pair, initially mismatched, are drawn into a deeper investigation after encountering ancient Ogier lore and a Tinker artifact suggesting a lost method of “cleansing” the Ways.
• Their work is supported and challenged by Egwene al’Vere’s legacy, now firmly entrenched in Tower practice: an ongoing exchange program between Aes Sedai, Aiel Wise Ones, and Sea Folk Windfinders, who trade apprentices and learn each other’s ways of channeling.
• Janya draws inspiration from this cooperation, suggesting that true understanding of the Ways may require blending forgotten Talents and philosophies from across cultures.
• Seaine, initially resistant, begins to see logic in Egwene’s dream of unity—not just between Ajahs, but across the world’s diverse channelers.
• Their research eventually leads them to propose a harmonic cleansing of the Ways that blends male and female channeling, sung rhythmically with Ogier accompaniment. A theory grounded in both Ogier storytelling and Tinker lore.
• Their efforts help forge deeper ties between the White and Black Towers, the Wise Ones, and the Sea Folk, laying the groundwork for a new age of cooperation.
• The “Twin Towers”a combined facility in Tar Valon, begins to take form, where all peoples and channeling traditions are welcome to study, teach, and heal. Utilizing the foundation Elaida stated in building her palace as an embassy for the Black Tower.

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5. The Blade at the Threshold (Lan Mandragoran and Nynaeve)

Reclaiming Malkier from the Blight, Lan uncovers something worse than Shadowspawn: Waygates near the Blight are awakening, leaking corruption into the world.

• He’s the first to realize the Shadow is regrouping via the Ways.
• Lan forms critical alliances with Ogier Waygate Keepers and Aes Sedai scholars. Loial plays a key role in assisting Lan.
• His warnings unify the Borderlands and become the rallying cry for the final battle.
• A man of few words, Lan and Nynaeve may be the reason anyone survives.

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6. The Court of Storms (Mat Cauthon & Empress Tuon)

Tuon faces rebellion in Seanchan while Mat schemes from within her court, challenging the empire’s foundations.

• Min’s visions help navigate imperial politics and hidden dangers.
• Olver grows and becomes a prominent leader in the Band of the Red Hand, trying to live up to Mat’s example and his own new found fame as the “Horn Sounder.”
• The discovery of a Waygate in Seandar sparks a global hunt.
• Mat begins plotting to dismantle the damane system; one dice roll at a time.

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7. The Threads Woven Together (Logain Ablar)

Logain steps fully into his role as a leader; not just of the Black Tower, but of a new Age.

• Coordinates with the Twin Towers to investigate disturbances in the Ways.
• Confronts the last tendrils of Forsaken schemes.
• Solidifies male/female channeler unity and lays the groundwork for lasting peace.

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8. The Voice of the Spear (Aviendha & the Aiel)

The Aiel, no longer bound by prophecy, search for meaning. Aviendha and the Wise Ones lead them toward a new purpose.

• Encounters with the Tinkers and Ogier challenge Aiel values.
• Fractures grow between clans over their future role.
• Their exploration uncovers Waygates along the Spine of the World; some active, some worse.
• Aviendha becomes a visionary, not just a warrior.

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9. The Farstrider’s Wake (Legacy of Rand?)

Rand is gone, but his myth grows. In whispers, stories surface of a wandering traveler; wise, kind, dangerous.

• His name is never spoken, his presence never confirmed.
• He explores the wider world and writes about what he finds. Perhaps he writes again under the name Farstrider as a tribute to the name of Legend.
• Perhaps the world needs myths more than heroes.
• Either way, Rand’s legacy endures in the lives he changed.

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10. The Last Threads (Finale)

The mystery is solved. The corrupted Ways must be cleansed; or the Shadow will return.

• Lan, Elayne, Perrin, Logain, and others unite in a final campaign.
• Machin Shin, evolved and intelligent, becomes the final antagonist.
• The restoration of the ways is an insurmountable challenge, that will not succeed, without great sacrifice.
• Manetheren rises again, a new Age begins, and the Ways fall silent at last.

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Conclusion

Winds of the Fourth Age explores more than just what happened after the Last Battle. It’s about identity, purpose, and healing. It’s about the long road to peace; and how even in victory, evil can find new ways to creep in.

The world has changed, but the Wheel still turns. And the Fourth Age is waiting to be woven.

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Why Write These Stories?

Like many readers, I was captivated by the journey of The Wheel of Time, but the ending left me wondering: what happens next? How do the heroes reconcile their personal losses and the monumental changes to their world? What does the Fourth Age look like as it begins to take shape? This project is my way of answering those questions while paying homage to the style and spirit of Robert Jordan’s epic saga.

Each story stands on its own, yet they weave together to form a greater narrative that expands on the themes of The Wheel of Time; duty, sacrifice, hope, and the enduring resilience of humanity.

Stay tuned for the first installment featuring Perrin Aybara as he takes on the burden of leadership in a rapidly changing Two Rivers. The Winds of the Fourth Age have begun to blow, and the Wheel of Time turns.

Fair Use Disclaimer for Winds of the Fourth Age

This project, Winds of the Fourth Age: Short Stories of the Wheel from After the Last Battle, is a fan-created work inspired by the Wheel of Time series written by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the authors, their estates, or the publishers of the original series.

These stories are written with the utmost respect and admiration for the original works, aiming to explore new facets of the world and characters in a manner consistent with the themes and style of the original series. All characters, settings, and elements from the Wheel of Time series remain the intellectual property of the respective copyright holders. No financial gain is sought or derived from this project.

This fan project falls under the fair use doctrine, intended solely for non-commercial purposes and to celebrate the creativity and inspiration sparked by the original works. Readers are encouraged to support the official series and its creators by purchasing and enjoying the original books.