What is the main conflict in Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan?

The fantasy world in the Wheel of Time series of novels is out of whack. This ninth novel in the series opens with conflicts continued from the previous book and two major factions preparing to fight it out. One faction uses the Power to weave patterns that can cause great destruction or perform miraculous healing. The other faction tries to suppress the Power and its masters known as Aes Sedai. Central to this all is Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. Rand has the ability to channel the Power and also potentially to bring the world back into balance. The age is called the Time of Illusions and is unstable with so many willing to go at each other's throats.