Cadvan finds that Maerad's Gift is unusually powerful for one never formally taught; he begins to suspect of her more significance than he had before. Cadvan takes her to the School of Innail, to make the presence of a survivor from Pellinor known and to establish Maerad a Minor Bard of Pellinor. During their time there, Maerad obtains a long-forgotten prophecy concerning the Foretold One who will defeat the Nameless One. This Nameless One is a corrupt political leader, formerly called Sharma, who discarded his own truename in order to become immortal. Twice has he attempted to conquer the land of Edil-Amarandh, and he has twice been vanquished. His last bid for power is the one in which the Foretold One, "Elednor, Edil - Amarandh na"or Fire Lily of Edil - Amarandh, will defeat him, leaving him dead or helpless forever. Maerad's own history, being coincident with that of the Foretold One, implies that she is Elednor, although Maerad does not immediately embrace the idea.