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I encourage you to try to attack me. I haven't captured a sorceress's magic for quite a while. Might be...fun."
"Thank you, but I'm a bit too tired out- from my travels and all- to be attacking anyone just now. Maybe later?''
―Nyda and Ann[src]

Annalina Aldurren, commonly known as Ann, was the Prelate of the Sisters of the Light for nearly eight hundred years, before faking her own death and handing over the title to Verna Sauventreen. Having lived under the spell that slowed aging the entirety of her life Ann lived an unnaturally long life.

In conjunction with the prophet Nathan Rahl, Ann spent the better half of a millennium carefully influencing events set down by prophecy, so as to ensure that magic, and the freedom of all people, would not be destroyed by the shadow of the Imperial Order. Indeed, were it not for Ann's actions many of the key events of the Darken Rahl crisis or the Imperial Order War, would not have come to pass.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Prelate

Prelate Annalina Aldurren in the Palace of the Prophets.

Ann was taken to become a novice of the Sisters of the Light at a young age. After several centuries as a Sister, she was elected as their Prelate in 750 BCB, and took over the position as Nathan Rahl's warden. Nathan confided in her the dangerous prophecies he had unravelled about a future war. Together they went on many journeys to ensure that events proceeded in a fashion that favoured magic, and life itself's, victory. During her centuries as Prelate, Ann also created a large network of spies for herself.

Mere months after the birth of Richard Rahl, Ann and Nathan contacted his step-father, George Cypher and with him retrieved the Book of Counted Shadows from the Wizard's Keep, defeating the dangerous magic monster stationed there by the evil Darken Rahl to protect the book.

At the time of Richard's birth, Ann sent three Sisters to search for him, due to having been born with the gift, despite knowing full well where he was. This was so that Sister Verna, whom Ann and Nathan had identified as a core figure in prophecy, would learn skills she would need, but could not gain at the Palace of the Prophets.

Tear in the veil[]

After twenty years of searching Ann received word, through her journey book, from Sister Verna that she had discovered the whereabouts of Richard Rahl and that rather than being a young boy, he was a fully grown man, a fact of which Ann was secretly aware. After Verna was able to convince Richard to put a Rada'Han on his neck, Ann ordered her to never use her power or the Rada'Han to control Richard.

When Verna and Richard arrived at the Palace, Ann denied requests to see either Verna or Richard. Her reason for not seeing Richard was to test how long it would take him to break into her office, though her reason for not admitting Verna was to delay the pain of the lies she would have to tell Verna to invoke prophecy.

Ann-Richard

Prelate Annalina talks with Richard Rahl.

As Ann suspected, Richard eventually broke into her office, using two student wizards to distract the two Sisters that guarded the Prelate's quarters, demanding to see her. Ann gave Richard the impression that she was simply one of the Palace staff, but he eventually realized the truth. Richard spoke with the Prelate about his concerns that the Stone of Tears had been released into the world of the living and that the release of the Keeper of the underworld was imminent. Ann helped to quell Richards fears, though not completely and reveals that she helped his step-father, George Cypher, to recover the Book of Counted Shadows. Ann told Richard that he had the gift for Subtractive Magic as well as Additive. She then informed Richard that she also knew Adie and that he was drawn to a certain artifact that Adie safe-guarded, the Skrin Bone, while he was at her home.

When Richard learned of the spell that slows the aging of those living in the Palace, he barged into the Prelate's office and demanded an explanation. Ann felt much sorrow for Richard's suffering, but also knew that if she had invoked the prophecy correctly, Richard would soon leave the Palace.

The time came for Ann to speak with Verna and she finally admitted her to her office. Ann told Verna a fabrication of how she thought of Verna as expendable and that that was the reason she sent her on the mission to discover Richard, with two Sisters Ann knew to be Sisters of the Dark. In truth Ann trusted Verna above all the other Sisters and thought her quite exceptional. Ann knew that if prophecy was correct that Verna would choose to side with Richard and help him escape. Ann voiced her concerns of the Sisters of the Dark to Verna so as to force, Sister Ulicia, who Ann believed to be a Dark Sister to attack her and play her hand. Ulicia did this and almost killed the Prelate, but was interrupted and forced to flee by Sister Verna and Richard. Verna and Richard then left Ann with Nathan to attempt to heal her of her wounds.

Feigning Death[]

Naming a new Prelate[]

A funeral rite was held for the long time Prelate of the Sisters of the Light, when she and the prophet, Nathan, were found dead in the prophet's chambers. It seemed that the Prelate's injuries were too grievous for the prophet to heal and that the strain of attempting had cost him his life. Though it was usually only the Prelate who was allowed the sacred funeral rite, the Sisters had voted to allow Nathan, who had tried so gallantly to save Ann's life, to be offered to the Light during the funeral rite, along with the Prelate.

When the Sister's returned to the Palace of the Prophets after the funeral, a stool was found in the middle of the great hall. On the stool was a letter, along with the Prelate's ring of office. Around the stool there was a powerful light shield that proved impenetrable.

Each Sister tried, and failed, to pass through the shield, until Sister Verna was called. She passed easily through the shield unharmed and picked up the note. It was from Prelate Annalina. The note stated that Ann had exercised her prerogative as Prelate to choose her successor: Verna.

As Verna looked over reports in her new capacity as Prelate, she began to see a pattern. When she was told the last thing Ann had to say to her old friend, Millie, Verna was struck to go into her new private garden, in particular the Prelate's private sanctuary.

Within the sanctuary, Verna found her old journey book. Realizing that either Ann was still alive or the Sisters of the Dark, were planning to trap her somehow, Verna wrote to Ann that if it was really her she would be able to tell her the reasons why Ann had chosen her for the twenty year journey she was sent on.

Ann, still alive and well in an inn near Aydindril with Nathan, repeated, through the journey book, the awful things she had been forced to say to Verna, in order to initiate prophecy. She then proceeded to tell Verna the truth: that she was the one Sister that she trusted above all, because she had been mentioned in prophecy to be the one that would help Ann.

Verna's faith was restored in the former Prelate, and Ann spoke of prophecy and the duties of a Prelate for the entire night. However, when Verna told Ann that Warren had given his first prophecy, she and Nathan both agreed that Verna must help smuggle Warren out of the Palace, lest he fall into the hands of the Sisters of the Dark.

A bitter novice[]

Ann and Nathan then continued to Aydindril. Once in the city, Ann followed a prophecy that said she must be captured, before being saved, and in turn capture a wizard of the First Order. She sets off on her own, but not before being told by Nathan to be sure to get something to eat.

As she walked up a street, Ann saw a young girl at a honey cake stand. Ann bought one and then made her way towards the Wizard's Keep, feeling increasingly disorientated. At the Keep, Ann could barely keep herself upright in a chair. It then occurred to her that it had never made sense that she should be taken captive by force, after all she was a sorceress of rare power. She then knew the honey cake had been poisoned.

Then entered the young girl and a squat old woman. The woman was not familiar to Ann, but the voice, was the same as ever. It was Valdora, a former novice of the Sisters, who Ann had banished for the crime of casting glamours. Valdora had pledged to have revenge on the Prelate one day and it seemed that her chance had finally come, as the honey cake had not only subdued Ann, it had been spelled to cut her off from her gift.

Valdora tortured Ann all night long, exacting payment for her lost youth. As daylight approached, her young granddaughter, Holly tried to petition her grandmother on Ann's behalf, but to no avail. Holly then left, to return a short time later, with an unconscious man she claimed to be a wizard.

Valdora decided the time had finally come for Ann to die. As she lifted her knife high to savor her long-awaited revenge, Nathan slipped into the room and impaled her upon his sword, something Ann had scoffed at him for owning.

Nathan then helped Ann to close a Rada'Han on the unconscious wizard's neck, before, healing both Ann and the newly collared wizard. Ann also pledged to take in Holly as a novice to the Sisters of the Light.

When the wizard awoke, it turned out to he was none other than Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, First Wizard and grandfather to Richard Rahl. He created quite the show, when he realized that he was held by a Rada'Han and pledged to Ann that he would journey to the Old World and lay the Sister's Palace of the Prophets to waste.

Zedd was capable of getting remarkable spells past the block Ann had set on the Rada'Han. This caused her a great deal of trouble. She pleaded with him to stop and just go along with her as she was fighting on the same side as he, but he would not comply.

Imperial Order War[]

Battle of the Palace of the Prophets[]

After some time, Ann, Nathan and Zedd arrived at the Palace of the Prophets. In fact Emperor Jagang, himself, had nearly reached the Palace and would soon have his hands on the priceless books of prophecy stored there.

This turned out to be Ann's reasons for capturing Zedd; She needed him to create a light web within the vaults of the Palace and ignite it, so as to destroy the Palace of the Prophets, preventing Jagang from having the prophetic books. Jagang, it was revealed, was a dream walker, intent on destroying magic.

Though Zedd was at first reluctant to destroy what he realized to be a remarkable spell that slowed the aging of those within the Palace, he soon realized he had no choice. He set the light web, but found he was unable to ignite it. Ann and Zedd quickly left the Palace, hoping that a Sister of the Dark would accidentally set off the dangerous spell.

When they were safely away, the Palace exploded, though at the hands of Richard himself, not a Sister of the Dark. Ann and Zedd then tried to find Nathan, who had been waiting safely clear of the Palace for them.

However, Nathan had somehow linked his Rada'Han to the bifurcated web around the Palace so that when it was destroyed, his Rada'Han was blown off of his neck. Ann and Zedd then set off to find him.

Hunting the Prophet[]

Zedd, Nathan is a wizard; I'm only a sorceress. If he had his Rada'Han around his neck I could easily control him, but he is without it.
―Annalina Aldurren[src]

Ann and Zedd arrived at a less than reputable looking inn, known as Jester's Inn. At the end of the name there was a pair of woman's legs pointing up in the shape of a V. However, both Ann and Zedd had sensed the magic tracer, Zedd had placed on Nathan and it lead them there. Zedd felt that something was wrong, but Ann thought that Nathan was probably at the inn for female companionship, after all he had been locked up for close to a thousand years. Zedd then informed Ann that he was beginning to believe that Nathan had influenced prophecy so as to lead to the day where he would be free of his Rada'Han. They also talked about the possible meaning of the strange red moon in the nights sky.

An unusually powerful sorceress though she might be, Ann knew she would be unable to force a Rada'Han back on a wizard of Nathan's skills. Therefore it was up to Zedd to do it. The plan was for him to go into the inn, find Nathan's room and surprise him. Should he get past Zedd, he had placed a light web, that would kill Nathan twenty heart beats after he had walked through it, unless he had a Rada'Han on his neck.

Ann waited outside for Zedd to return with Nathan. However, instead of Nathan running out the door, a stranger named William was attempting to flee, with Sister Roslyn bounding after him. Roslyn soon realised that she and William had been caught up in a light web and attempted to use Subtractive Magic to undo it. Ann ran for her life and was just out of harm's way when the light web ignited, its power enhanced by the Subtractive Magic employed by Roslyn.

Ann entered the room she had thought had been hired out by Nathan to find an injured Zedd on the floor. He told her that Nathan had somehow placed the tracer magic on William and given him a message for the two of them, however he had been forced to destroy it to deprive, the now deceased Sister Roslyn of it.

Using his skills as the First Wizard however, he was able to restore the message. It told them that they must find the Jocopo treasure. Neither Ann nor Zedd had any ideas what this was, but Ann insisted that Zedd would have to remain collared for now and help her find it. Zedd reached up and removed his Rada'Han. It turned out he had known since the second day she had held him captive how to take it off, but had gone along with her because he knew she was doing it for the good of all.

Ann later wrote to Verna through the journey book, asking whether she had ever heard of the Jocopo treasure. Verna said that on her journey through the Midlands, she had only ever heard of one reference to the Jocopo. Apparently they were a now-extinct tribe of the wilds.

Ann and Zedd traveled deep into the wilds, searching for the remnants of the Jocopo. While searching, Zedd decided to use his wizard's rock to find help from the spirit world. While he was doing this, Ann cast sensing webs, to detect if anyone was about. As she did so, she suddenly lost contact with her Han. Zedd's attempts to make contact with the spirit world also failed.

Captured in the wilds[]

Zedd realized that it was likely a people of the wilds known as the Nangtong causing this. The Nangtong possessed the ability to leech the strength of other people's magic. Having skirted their lands by a wide margin, Zedd believed it to be one of their spirit parties, come to find a sacrifice to give to the spirits. Ann and Zedd quickly tried to escape, but were later captured by the Nangtong.

They were taken to the Nangtong hunting party's village and placed in a pen with pigs. They soon realized that they were to be sacrificed to the spirits, as the Nangtong believed, due to the red moon, that they were angry. Ann made a comment about "mucking about with a crazy man",[1] which gave Zedd an idea. He knew that without their magic they could not escape the Nangtong, but if they convinced them that they were crazy, they might be less willing to sacrifice them to their respected spirits.

Ann was at first both dubious and reluctant to try acting like a lunatic, but after some encouraging from Zedd, she finally gave in. Ann and Zedd were soon taken from their pen and traded to another people, the Si Doak.

The Si Doak forced Ann and Zedd into slavery, having put magic wristbands on them that prevented their escape, but soon decided that Ann was unsatisfactory in some way and decided to sell them to cannibals. These cannibals were none other than the Mud People, whose spokesperson, Chandalen, knew Zedd and freed the captured wizard and sorceress.

Jocopo treasure[]

The Mud People told Ann and Zedd that they knew of the Jocopo treasure. Ann and Zedd then discovered a large number of prophecies at the Jocopo treasure and burnt them to prevent Jagang, whose army was to the west, from getting his hands on them. During this, their magic wristbands lost their power and fell off.

After arriving back at the Mud People's village, Ann and Zedd were soon met by Richard, Kahlan Amnell and their Mord-Sith guard Cara, who had all been under the impression that the two were dead. Zedd and Ann were then told of Richard and Kahlan's own troubles, with the Temple of the Winds and the plague started by Sister Amelia.

When Ann and Zedd heard of how Kahlan was forced to call on the aid of the chimes to keep Richard from dying of the plague which he had taken on himself in order to save everyone else, they were both deeply disturbed by this.

However, they decide to reserve their worries for the following day and were witness to the wedding of Richard and Kahlan, as well as Shota's short appearance after the ceremony.

Death of Magic[]

The day after their wedding, Richard and Kahlan would go and spend the day at a hot spring. However, one of their guards, a Mud Person known as Juni, mysteriously died. The Mud People's healer, Nissel, told them that he had died at the hands of evil spirits. They then decided to go and see Zedd and Ann and have them examine the body with their gift.

When they reached Zedd and Ann's cabin, they found symbols written in blood on the floor and walls. Zedd and Ann then decided to explain what a Grace, an important magical symbol, is to Richard. He was at first cautious and wonders why Ann and her Sister's didn't teach him about the Grace when he was at the Palace of the Prophets. Ann says it was simply because they were taking precautions with him, due to the fact he possessed Subtractive Magic.

Richard then asked what a Fatal Grace was; both Ann and Zedd were perplexed as to what this means. Richard also asked Ann, who had spent her life in the Old World and had most knowledge of Emperor Jagang, if he was able to take over the mind of animals as well as humans. Both Ann and Zedd agreed that he was unable to do this.

Remembering the business with the chimes earlier, Richard asked Zedd and Ann if they were able to take care of them. They tell him that they had come to the conclusion that there was nothing to take care of, as the chimes were a work of three. Among many other safeguards, Kahlan would need to be Richard's third wife for the chimes to be in the world of the living. Ann and Zedd then explain to Richard and Kahlan what the chimes are.

The chimes were soulless creatures from the underworld, whose presence in the world of life would absorb magic. During the discussion about the chimes and the impact they could have on the world, they heard the wail of a child. As one everyone left the room and ran out into the rain.

They found a mother and her child, who had been hurt by a chicken. Richard became convinced that something was wrong with one of the chickens in the Mud People's village. While out in the rain, Zedd and Ann decided to go and examine Juni's body.

Zedd and Ann discovered that Juni's neck had not been broken as some had suspected and that he had probably drowned. Nissel then entered with a dead baby, born stillborn. Richard then told Zedd, Ann, Kahlan and Cara that he was beginning to think that one of the Mud People's chickens was possessed by something.

Richard had the Mud People round up all of their chickens. As he had this done, Ann and Kahlan had a talk. Ann asked that Kahlan please try to understand that though they might not understand what Richard was doing, he was the Seeker and they must have faith. They are then witness to Richard snuffing out a fire, still burning during the rain. He said a single word, Sentrosi, the chime of fire.

Later when Kahlan was attacked by a chicken that addressed her as "Mother", Ann and Zedd inspected the arrow used to subdue the creature. Kahlan and Richard argued that the chimes were indeed unleashed upon the world, but Ann and Zedd told them that the creature was a Lurk, created by the Sisters of the Dark on behalf of Jagang.

Later Nissel came to Kahlan and Richard informing them that Ann and Zedd had fallen gravely ill. They entered their room to find them lying head to toe, asleep. They opened their eyes and informed them that casting the webs to discover what the Lurk was had cost them their strength and now the runaway degeneration of magic caused by the Lurk was sapping them and soon everybody else of magic.

Ann and Zedd told Richard, Kahlan and Cara to go to the Wizard's Keep and stay there, as it is there they would be safe. They told Richard to go to the First Wizard's private enclave and break a bottle there with the Sword of Truth. They left immediately, though not through the sliph as its magic was contaminated also.

After Richard, Kahlan, and Cara had left, Ann and Zedd woke back up and it was revealed they had been lying. They were not ill, but their magic was being drained by something: the chimes. Somehow they were present in the world of life. They sent Richard to the Wizard's Keep as that was where the chimes had been released, so they could not return and reclaim his soul, on behalf of which Kahlan had called them forth.

Zedd and Ann then parted ways, Zedd to see if he could banish the chimes and Ann to release the Sisters of the Light who had been captured by Jagang. Now that Jagang could no longer enter their minds, she would be able to free them without his knowledge.

Betrayal[]
Rattling her three copper coins in her cup, Annalina Aldurren, former Prelate of the Sisters of the Light, the most powerful women in the Old World for over three-quarters of a millenium, moved on to beg from the soldiers gathered round the next fire.
―Annalina Aldurren[src]

By the time Ann had infiltrated Jagang's camp, in the disguise of a begger, her gift was completely absorbed by the chimes. It took her a long time to find the Sisters, but by chance she ran into Sister Georgia Cifaro. Georgia was astonished to find that Ann was alive, having been at her funeral herself. Ann told the captured Sister that the chimes were loose and that she must take her to the other Sisters so they could escape.

Georgia took her to the captured Sisters tent and Ann proved a welcome sight to their eyes. However, it soon became clear that none of the Sisters believed Ann about Jagang's inability to enter their minds. Georgia told Ann that she and three other Sisters would go round up the rest of the Sisters, before escaping. However, they returned with two soldiers and Ann was quickly captured and chained.

Then a long awaited meeting took place; Prelate Annalina Aldurren of the Sisters of the Light finally came face to face with Emperor Jagang of the Imperial Order. Jagang informed her that he intended to find a use for her as he knew her to be an especially valuable prisoner. He then knocked her out.

Each day Ann was locked in a small wooden crate and when the army made camp was chained to the pole of the small tent she was kept in. She was fed by soldiers, however, after some time, Sister Alessandra a Sister of the Dark, became her feeder.

Ann and Alessandra talked about many things. Ann tried to convince Alessandra that the chimes were free and that she must turn back to the Light. Alessandra reacted violently to this, however Ann clearly saw that there was a struggle going on within her former disciple.

During their discussions, Alessandra asked what Ann had intended to do should the Sisters of the Light refuse to escape with her as they had. Ann said she would have killed them had she not been captured, so they could no longer use their magic to harm innocents, under the direction of Jagang.

In her cramped little box, Ann became convinced that she would go insane. However it eventually came to an end. Unexpectedly, it was Alessandra who opened her crate, not her guards. Alessandra asked Ann to forgive her and to help her return to the Light.

Ann listened to Alessandra beseech the forgiveness of the Creator and had her swear loyalty to Richard, when Jagang entered her mind and attempts to take control of her, signalling that magic was returned to the world. Alessandra was successful in repelling the Emperor and then she and Ann proceeded to ride as far away from the Imperial Order army as possible.

A new outlook[]

After hearing that Richard had decided to give up his position as ruler of D'Hara, because of his betrayal by the people of Anderith, who willingly surrendered to the Imperial Order, Ann and Alessandra made their way to the mountains of Westland, where they were told, through Ann's journey book, by Verna, that they would find Richard and his wife, Kahlan, who had been gravely injured, during a failed assassination attempt.

However, when Ann and Alessandra arrived at Richard and Kahlan's temporary abode, they found that Richard had been captured by Ann's former disciple, turned Sister of the Dark, Nicci. Ann tried to assure Kahlan that everything was going to be alright, however, Kahlan had come to the conclusion that the war against the Imperial Order, Richard's capture and virtually everything else connected to these events were completely Ann's fault.

Kahlan informed Ann that if it were not for her meddling, then the Imperial Order would never have been able to breach the Towers of Perdition and enter the New World. After heatedly scolding Ann, Kahlan and her Mord-Sith guard, Cara, disappeared into the night, but not before Kahlan threw Ann's precious journey book into a fire.

When Kahlan and Cara were out of sight, Ann immediately threw her hands into the fire and retrieved the journey book, which was badly damaged. Alessandra used her gift to heal Ann of the burns, reaching into the fire caused her and the two discussed the matters at hand. Alessandra asked Ann to send her to deal with Nicci and try and return her to the Light, because it was she who originally brought her to the Palace of Prophets to become a Sister of the Light and later turned her to the Sisters of the Dark. After a great deal of discussion, Ann agreed to allow Alessandra to try and fix her mistake and decided that she must find a way to fix her damaged journey book.

After some time, Ann reluctantly visited the Healers of Red Cliff, a strange people who healed objects rather than people and who she had only bad memories of. The Healers were able to heal Ann's journey book and she was once again able to converse with Verna, though after her scolding at the hands of Kahlan, much of her outlook on life had been altered.

Bandakarian Empire[]

Ann eventually made her way to the People's Palace in D'Hara, with the intention of recapturing the prophet, Nathan. Unfortunately, the Power Spell that the Palace was constructed in the form of sapped her and all other gifted, other than those of the House of Rahl, of their power.

While sitting on a bench, Ann began talking with a woman. Ann subtly probed her for any information she might have on the whereabouts of Nathan. She fabricated a story of having had her fortune told and that a man named Nathan, who was tall, had shoulder length white hair and azure eyes, was the man she was meant to be with. The woman had no idea about any such man, but did offer to show Ann to a place she could make accommodations.

However, before this could be achieved, Ann and the woman were confronted by D'Haran guards and a Mord Sith named Nyda. Nyda informed Ann that she knows she was a sorceress with bad intentions towards one, Wizard Nathan Rahl. Nyda had the woman Ann had befriended go on her way and encouraged Ann to use her power against her. Ann recognises that the little power she had at her disposal at the People's Palace would be of little use in this situation.

Nyda escorted Ann to the most secure cell possessed by the House of Rahl, as she was considered a most dangerous prisoner. Ann asked Nyda to have Nathan brought to her, but her demands were not met. While sitting in her dank cell, Ann began deeply regret having kept Nathan locked up most of his life.

After some time, Nathan agreed to visit Ann. Ann poured her heart out to Nathan; she apologised for the terrible things she had done to him and asked that he take the Rada'Han she had intended to recapture him with and lock it away somewhere she would never see it again.

Nathan, having finally received the apology he had wanted for so long, released Ann and informed her that he needed her help. Nathan told Ann that Richard had somehow gone down a path of prophecy that a Slide was on. Ann was shocked but immediately denies that it was possible, as Slide's had died out during the Great War, due to being sterile. However, the prophecy was somehow active.

Ann and Nathan immediately left the People's Palace, to find Richard in Bandakar.

After some time, Ann and Nathan came to the Empire of Bandakar. Though they were unable to find Richard, they did find his half-sister Jennsen Rahl, who asked them desperately to help her as Richard's wife Kahlan had been captured by Nicholas the Slide, while Richard was about to engage a large Imperial Order force with a small force of the local Bandakar.

Ann and Nathan arrived, just as the battle was about to begin and used the power of their gifts to almost single handedly annihilate the Imperial Order force. Ann and Nathan then together tried to set Richard's gift to rights, as it had gone faulty. However, for some reason they were unable to do so.

Richard, who was also poisoned, left to try and rescue Kahlan, before he died. Ann and Nathan later learnt, through Jennsen who remained in the Bandakar Empire as the representative of the House of Rahl, that he was successful in saving Kahlan, as well as solving the mystery of why his gift had gone faulty. He was then able to use his gift to create an antidote for the poison he had consumed.

Ann and Nathan remained in the Empire, with Jennsen and Tom, so as to aid with their gifts should the Imperial Order return to the pristinely ungifted people's homeland, as well as to lessen interference from prophecy in Richard's actions.

The Chainfire Effect[]

Holes in prophecy[]

Prophecy demands it!
―Annalina Aldurren[src]

Returning to her room, Ann had the intention of writing via her journey book to Verna. The two talk of Verna's efforts to defend the passes into D'Hara against the Imperial Order. Ann was very disturbed when Verna told her that because he had been unable to break through the passes into D'Hara, Jagang had split his army.[2]

Verna explained that she must divide up the Sisters, though there were few left due to so many deaths in the war, to help hold the passes against the portion of Jagangs army remaining there and the rest to move on to face the bulk of Jagang's horde at the People's Palace.[2]

Just as Ann and Verna end their conversation, Jennsen came to Ann's room. She told Ann that Nathan was calling for her. However, the disturbing thing was that he was in a graveyard.[2]

Ann and Jennsen made their way down to the graveyard. They met Tom there, who was standing guard for Nathan. Ann also noticed that the cicadas had finally begun to emerge from their burrows. Ann was then directed by Tom down the steps of a big stone monument in the graveyard, along with Jennsen. She eventually met Nathan and Jennsen then went back up to be with Tom.[2]

Nathan then informed Ann that the room that they were in, below groundlevel, was built in the form of a concealment spell. He also told her that there were a number of people entombed there, as well as there being a great deal of valuable books of prophecy.[2]

Many were among Ann's favourite books, however, she soon realized that she cannot remember much of their wording. She also realized that the wording she can't remember had been replaced by blank spaces within the books. Nathan informed her that he had come to the same conclusion.[2]

When Ann told Nathan that Jagang had split his army and that the cicadas had begun to emerge, he was horrified as he had discovered a prophecy that stated that when those two things happened, it would signal that the final battle was upon them. They then immediately left Bandakar to find Richard, bringing Tom with them so as to track Richard with his bond.[2]

They eventually arrived at the Wizard's Keep, where Ann was surprised to find Richard in the company of Nicci. Ann and Nicci have a brief argument about whether Nicci remained a Sister of the Light or not. The company then discussed the issues to do with prophecy.[2]

Zedd concluded that it was a prophecy worm that has caused the blank spaces in prophecy. Ann also demanded that Richard take his place as the leader of the D'Haran Empire, as prophecy dictated he must and stop chasing the phantom of the mysterious "Kahlan", that he insisted they all knew, despite not remembering her.[2]

Because Richard used his gift to read prophecy, the Blood Beast, that has been hunting him, suddenly appeared and engages the company in battle. Ann, Nathan and Zedd all used their gifts to help fight off the beast, but due to being an underworld creature, their powers had little effect.[2]

Richard barely survived the attack of the beast. Later, Ann, Nathan and Zedd summoned Nicci to meet them. The four discussed Richard's strange delusions about "Kahlan". Ann and the others asked Nicci to use her Subtractive powers to erase his memories of "Kahlan" from his mind. However, Nicci was unable to bring herself to do so and she, Richard and Cara fled the Keep through the Sliph.[2]

After some time, the three returned to the Keep, with evidence that Richard's phantom wife, Kahlan, was an actual person. However, Ann and everybody else had been forced to forget her, due to the Chainfire spell that had been cast by the free Sisters of the Dark, who had captured her. Ann, Nathan and Zedd then pledge to help Richard reclaim his wife from those evil women.[2]

Search for Kahlan[]

Finally having accepted the truth about Chainfire, Kahlan and the free Sisters of the Dark, Ann, along with Zedd, Nathan and Nicci immediately began to attempt to discover how Chainfire operated and if it was at all possible to reverse it. Using the orthodox exterior verification webs, it at first appeared that there was no flaw to the Chainfire spell, however, Nicci then, with the aid of her Subtractive magic, invoked an interior verification web. It immediately became obvious to Ann, Nathan and Zedd, that something was not quite right with Nicci, within the confines of the verification web.[3]

Richard and Cara soon entered the room that the four gifted individuals were occupying. It was a special kind of room within the hardened section of the Wizard's Keep that was protected from exterior manipulation by a containment field. Richard noticed a flaw within the spell-form that was surrounding Nicci. He soon realized that it was the contamination of the chimes, though Ann disputes how that is possible and furthermore how Richard could possibly know anything about spell-forms.[3]

Richard began to panic as he realized the danger that Nicci was in and began to use his gift to disable the spell-form surrounding her, a feat impossible to any but those who possessed Subtractive magic. However this attracted the attention of the blood beast, which immediately appeared within the room. Zedd, Nathan and Ann all used the power of their gifts to barrage the beast with unimaginable power, however, as it was of the underworld, it does little but buy Richard more time. Nicci after having recovered from being within the spell-form, re-activated it around herself, knowing a way to save Richard, though it meant sacrificing her own life. Nicci was successful in driving the blood beast off and Richard is only just able to free her from the spell-form before she slipped into the world of the dead.[3]

Shortly after, Shota arrived at the Keep with another woman, the Seer Jebra Bevinvier. Jebra told a sickening tale of the plight of the people of Galea after having been conquered by the Imperial Order. This caused Richard to leave for D'Hara via the sliph as he had come to the conclusion that he must disperse the D'Haran army into small contingents to cause havoc among the homelands of the Imperial Order.[3]

Nicci and Cara soon arrived back at the Wizard's Keep without Richard. It turned out the blood beast had attacked them in the sliph, while Richard was simultaneously attacked by foreign magic and suddenly disappeared, the bond to him having also failed. Jebra was also almost struck down by the same foregin magic, which Zedd identified as that of a witch woman. Nathan was then temporarily named Lord Rahl and Ann reluctantly swore loyalty to him. She then accompanied him back to the People's Palace in D'Hara to help him co-ordinate its defence.[3]

Death[]

While Ann defended the People's Palace along with Nathan and the other gifted there, Richard, Nicci and Cara appeared through the sliph. They discussed the coming battle, the effects of Chainfire, and Kahlan; eventually, Nicci and Ann left the others to argue amongst themselves and finally settle the tension between them.[4]

After talking with Nicci, Ann began to realize the importance of Richard's use of free will to counter prophecy, as she had, before Chainfire, erased her memories. However, Ann encouraged Nicci to act on her obvious feelings for Richard, believing that Kahlan was gone forever. Nicci refused to do such a thing, and the conversation moved onto Ann's own deep love for Nathan; though Ann and Nicci had always had disagreements, Nicci was deeply touched by Ann's finding of love.[4]

Having finally seemed to settle the tension between them, Nicci and Ann made their way to the dungeons to retrieve the Rada'Han Ann had left there when Nathan had had her imprisoned in them. However, en route, the pair were inexplicably intercepted by Sisters Armina, Julia, and Greta, a trio of Sisters of the Dark. Realizing the danger, Ann threw herself in front of Nicci, telling her to protect Richard, taking the brunt of a twin blast of Additive and Subtractive Magic, which killed her instantly.[4]

Legacy[]

Following Ann's death, Nicci was captured by the trio of Sisters of the Dark and taken to Emperor Jagang. However, through the efforts of Richard and Adie, she would be rescued after having suffered terrible ordeals. It took some time for Nathan and the others at the People's Palace to learn of Ann's death; the Sisters of the Dark had used Subtractive Magic to remove all evidence of her death, and it was only after Nicci's rescue that she was able to deliver the sad news.[4]

Ultimately, Richard would prove victorious in his battle to save the world of life from the Imperial Order, a battle Ann had ensured he'd fight long before his birth.[4]

Personality and traits[]

Ann was a short, stout woman with gray hair that was often pulled into a loose bun on the top of her head. Although she was close to one thousand years old, Ann appeared to be in her seventies, due to living under the spell on the Palace of the Prophets, that slows aging, for most of her life.

Despite her short stature Ann was quite capable of dominating Sisters, novices and young wizards much taller than her with a single look. She was generally a kind-hearted woman and despised liars, though she herself was not adversed to lie for the cause of the Creator. Ann believed that prophecy should be followed to the letter and sometimes forget about freewill.

However, over the course of the series, Ann began to realize the importance of Richard's free will and her meddling, though always good intentional, became less frequent. Much of this was due to a scolding lecture delivered to her by Kahlan.

Powers and abilities[]

She had been wondering how one could overpower her; she was not without her Han, after all, and it was strong in her, stronger than nearly any other sorceress.
―Annalina Aldurren on her powers[src]
Ann-magic

Ann, ready to use her magic.

Like all sorceresses of her era, Ann was only born with the gift for Additive Magic. However, the gift was strong in her; by her own admission, stronger than nearly any other sorceress. As a rule, the Prelate of the Sisters of the Light was always very powerful, and that Ann was chosen to fill that position over several hundred other Sisters indicates the level of power at her disposal. Though Sister Ulicia gained enormous amounts of power through nefarious means, it was mentioned by Sister Verna that Ann was naturally more powerful than her, or her fellow administrator Sister Finella.

Ann was particularly talented at the creation of light webs, which were among the most powerful and dangerous spells known to the gifted. Indeed, no Sister of the Light or Dark, other than Verna Sauventreen, was able to penetrate the light web Ann cast to protect the Prelate's ring of office after feigning her death. Ann was apparently formidable at using the gift both offensively and defensively; she and Nathan Rahl singlehandedly defeated an entire force of Imperial Order troops at the Battle of Bandakar, and beforehand, Nathan warned the experienced Mord-Sith Nyda that Ann could still be dangerous even under the influence of the power spell at the People's Palace.

During her encounters with the blood beast, the Prelate demonstrated an affinity for air manipulation. Along with Nathan, Ann propelled deadly shards of air to blast the beast, whilst using shields of air to hinder it. In addition, Richard noted that being in the presence of the power of the unseen forces summoned by Ann, Nathan and Zedd caused him to feel nauseated.

Behind the scenes[]

  • The scene in Faith of the Fallen, in which Ann ventures to Red Cliff was actually placed in the book only at the insistence of Terry Goodkind's editor. However, when they parted ways, Goodkind had the scene removed from all subsequent editions of the book.
  • Ann was portrayed by actress Elizabeth Hawthorne in the television series Legend of the Seeker. Hawthorne first appeared as the character in the second season episode 'Dark', before reprising the role for the episode 'Perdition'.
  • In the Legend of the Seeker episode 'Dark', Sister Verna introduces Ann to Richard by both name and title, however, in the end credits of the episodes she appears in she is credited as simply "Prelate".

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

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