A feeling of solemnity permeated the room. Chessik looked around her and saw the various priests and priestesses who had gathered for her Initiation. She sat on a mat in front of the High Patriarch and High Matriarch with her back toward them. They were gathered in the Hall of Expia. It was the largest room in the Sanctuary. It represented the highest level an Anshik could achieve in life, a complete and total at one-ment with Chalwa.
All members of the Family had green eyes, some brighter than others. Green eyes were very rare naturally among the Anshik. Most Anshik who had green eyes weren't born with them. Their eyes had changed with the Initiation. The Initiation consisted of drinking of water drawn from the Holy Fount, a natural fountain that the Sanctuary had been built around. It was believed that Chalwa had placed the fountain there as a means of communicating with his children. All Anshik who wished to join the Family were prepared for several years and, when they were ready, drank water drawn from the fountain. After drinking the water, the initiates would collapse into a holy trance where they would listen to and learn from Chalwa himself for several days. After waking, their eyes would have turned green and they would be welcomed into full fellowship with the Family and considered priests or priestesses with full status.
Chessik proved something of a mystery to the Family and the faithful others like her parents. Most Anshik children are born with blue eyes that eventually turn brown, gray, or stay blue. Chessik, however, had been born with green eyes, never having had blue at all. The Anshik considered children born with green eyes sacred. They were called the Pre-Ordained, those chosen from before birth to accomplish great deeds in their lives. In the history of the Anshik, most Pre-Ordained were born during times of wars and tyrants. Their births had been hailed as the beginning of the end for those despots. However, in Chessik's case, there were no tyrants to stop or wars to end. In fact, the Anshik had recently been enjoying their longest stretch of peace in many years. Why, then had a Pre-Ordained been born? Chessik had been asking herself that very question since she had studied the histories and discovered her uniqueness. She was not particularly good at spells, using the Powers, or anything else for that matter. Other than her eyes, she was actually quite average.
As she again wondered at her destiny, Chessik looked at the procession. Several priests and priestesses walked down the middle of the Hall of Expia, one of which was carrying a small cup that held water from the Holy Fount. This was the part Chessik feared the most. She feared that after drinking the water, her collapse to the floor would be rather undignified.
As the High Matriarch looked at her favorite student, she knew of the fears and doubts going through her head. They were the same ones she had felt in her Initiation. Chessik would be fine. When she would collapse, the priests would be there to catch her before she hit the ground. Then she would be carried to her room to rest with members of the Family tending her until she awoke. As the High Matriarch thought all of this, she also thought about the fact that a Pre-Ordained had been born in a time of peace. Her many meditations and those of her husband had not told them anything comforting. The memories of previous patriarchs and matriarchs all agreed. If a Pre-Ordained had been born into a time of peace, it meant something was happing that the Family did not know about. This showed a severe failing on their part. As the High Matriarch thought this, an old proverb came to her head; "And the people ignored the warnings and signs saying, 'All is well with the Anshik, the Anshik prosper.' And thus the enemy, Quorihor, doth deceive them and lead them slowly but surely to their destruction."
Her thoughts were interrupted by the procession coming to a halt in front of Chessik. Chessik stood up and bowed at the waist to the priest holding the cup. He inclined his head and held out the cup for her to take. While both had their hands on the cup, he recited, "May Chalwa's words ring true in your mind and in your heart" after which he stepped back. Chessik closed her eyes and put her lips to the cup's brim, and then drank all the water in it. As the water passed down her throat, she felt warmth spread throughout the whole of her body. She felt as if her mind were expanding. She waited for the warmth to take her completely into a trance and relaxed her grip on the cup a little more than she had planned, almost dropping it. The priest immediately stepped up to take the cup while the others in the procession gathered around to catch Chessik.
A few moments passed and Chessik opened her eyes with confusion. A murmur began to spread through the assembled Family members. The High Patriarch sat upright on his mat, taken aback by what he saw. He had never seen such a thing, in all his years. He did not even notice the look of horror on his wife's face. "Not again" she whispered to herself. "Please Chalwa, not again." Chessik hadn't fainted.