Chessik was kneeling in her room in meditation when the High Matriarch entered and shut the door behind her. "I know what you're worried about, Chessik. You're mind is practically screaming it."
Chessik stood and turned to face her teacher. "I've checked the records over and over again, and there is nothing written in the prophecies about what happened to me. It's not supposed to happen this way. I was supposed to faint as soon as I drank the water. For the first time, I feel like Chalwa doesn't have an answer for me." She turned her head to hide the fear in her eyes. "I'm scared for the first time in my life."
The elderly matron looked at her student gauging whether she was touched or not. "There is no prophecy given to us that says that every initiate will pass out. It's just that that's the way it's always happened. Except now for two instances."
Chessik looked up in confusion. "Two? But there isn't anything in the records about someone else."
"That's because it was decided that no one should ever know about it. The only records kept of the instance were the memories of the matriarch and patriarch who lived during that time. It was assumed that the he didn't faint due to an already incredible power he had within him."
Chessik was desperate to know of this other person who had shared a similar initiation. "Well, what was this he like? What did he accomplish in his life that had to be kept secret? Why wouldn't it be good to know about him?"
"This one was born during a time when an cruel aristocracy was ruling the Anshik. Nobody could oppose them. They had all the weapons and most of the men in their control. The matriarch of this time became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Lothlor'yn. The patriarch and matriarch raised this boy in the proper way, teaching him all they could about Chalwa and his plan for the Anshik. He grew to be very powerful, and when he was around eighteen years old, he led the people in a rebellion against the aristocracy. After over throwing them, though, he felt that the only way to insure that they would never rise to power again was to kill them. He disobeyed Chalwa's law and killed in cold blood, using the powers he had been given. The people believed him when he told them that it had been for their own safety.
"Later on, he felt that the people would again allow corrupt individuals to gain power and rule in tyranny. He preached and preached to the people that they should not allow this to happen, but they should choose the best people to lead them. They said they wanted him to lead. At first he resisted, explaining how priests are forbidden from entering politics, but they persisted. Other priests, both young and old, who were swayed by the decisive way Lothlor had handled the aristocracy, began to cheer him on as well. Soon he agreed to take control. The patriarch warned him that to do this would be to disobey Chalwa's law. Lothlor became enraged and threw his father from the room with his powers. By the grace of Chalwa, the Family managed to convince the people to choose someone who did not already have other obligations, as Lothlor did. When Lothlor realized he would not be taking power of government, he became enraged and swore in the Sanctuary that he would kill his father for this. He then left the Sanctuary and the Family, taking many priests with him. A few months later he reappeared, preaching his new doctrine that people didn't need to listen to old leaders who were out of date with the times, that the current faith was restricting and unnecessary. All of these things he had the right to do, as our government at that time did not prohibit speaking one's beliefs in public, just as it is now. What got the Family's attention was that he had changed his name. He had decided that he would be called Quorihor."
Chessik gasped when she heard the name. Quorihor was the name of the enemy. It was rarely used in any sermon due to the fear it instilled. She couldn't understand why a priest would choose to be called by that name, "Unless he was following the enemy," she said in horror.
"Yes," the matriarch continued, "he had decided to follow the dark path that leads to nothing but sorrow and pain. The patriarch received a revelation that Lothlor had to be done away with, that his perversity could not be allowed to cloud more minds. The patriarch began to increase the warrior training of the priests and priestesses in the Family. But it seemed as if Lothlor was intent on fulfilling his promise of earlier. He and his followers marched on the Sanctuary intent on burning it to the ground. The Family met him on the steps of the Sanctuary and there was a long and bloody battle, during which many good people died. Eventually, though, the tide turned against Lothlor, and he fled, leaving his army behind. He was never heard from again. None of the patriarchs or matriarchs that came afterward ever found him. That was nearly eight hundred years ago. No records were kept in case someone like you came along. We didn't want the people to assume that every pre-ordained who didn't faint in their initiation was destined to bring about blood shed. It would have been to much for them to handle."
Chessik looked at her teacher and asked, "Then why am I here now? Why am I like Lothlor? I have no intentions of obtaining power or following the enemy. I'm also not that powerful."
"You weren't that powerful before, if you compared yourself to those already initiated and trained. But compared to those with your training and experience, you were quite powerful before, and I'm sure you've exceeded everyone else in your group by now. As to why you're here, I don't know, I honestly don't know."