Chosen One (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness)

A pyromaniacal woman who calls herself the Chosen One is a character who appears in Oath Breaker, the fifth book of Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, (which takes place 6000 years ago in prehistoric Europe during the Stone Age).

History
This woman was born to the Red Deer Clan that resides in the Deep Forest. One bright day she was struck by a lightning out of nowhere. It changed her hair ash, burned the unborn child in her womb and turned her insane.

At some point Thiazzi made her his underling. Under his orders, she first spies on Torak, Renn and Fin-Kedinn as they recover from her master's trap. After Torak and Renn enter the Deep Forest, the Chosen One continues spying them.

After the Red Deer Clan takes Torak and Renn as their forceful quests in order to send them back to the Open Forest, the Chosen One disguises herself as a timid clanswoman. She pretends to accidentally reveal Torak the location of the Valley of the Horses from where Thiazzi's main place of operation (the Sacred Grove) can be reached since the Red Deer Clan is unwilling to reveal it.

After Torak's interrupted showdown with Thiazzi in the Sacred Grove, the Chosen One sets loose a forest fire. Before it reaches Torak, she runs up to him, pretending to take him back to the Red Deers. He walks into her trap and is left hanging one leg tied in a tree branch. The Chosen One reveals her true nature and alliance to Thiazzi. The she flees, leaving Torak to be claimed by the fire.

When Torak is on the verge of being executed by the united Deep Forest Clans, framed by Thiazzi of igniting the forest fire, the Chosen One adds drug to the drinks of the Deep Forest Clans, allowing Renn to release Torak. She does this because she doesn't believe that it's the Deep Forest Clans' right to kill the one spared by the forest fire.

After Thiazzi has been killed and the Deep Forest Clans appeased, the Chosen One is caught by the Forest Horse Clan. She confesses igniting the forest fire and drugging the Deep Forest Clans. Torak is given the right to judge her. While the Deep Forest Clans are eager to execute her, Torak lets her live, having learned that revenge is best left in the hands of the Forest. He declares that the Red Deer Clan will always keep the Chosen One under watch and she shall swear that she will never again set fire loose.

Appearance
The Chosen One has long ash-gray hair. Her face has blisters and it peels off. She has no eyelashes. Her lips are crackled and teeth broken. Her moist skin radiates hotness. When she hides her identity, she wears a dirty bandana made of bark (the Red Deers use to bury their deceased relatives in a tree and wear a piece of the bark on their heads).

Personality and traits
The Chosen One is a dangerously insane pyromaniac. She worships fire fervently, viewing it to be the truth and purity. She respects Thiazzi because he seems to have a mutual respect for the fire (as Thiazzi is using the Fire Opal). She follows fervently the Way Thiazzi is instilling, and is outraged at those who don't respect fire enough in her eyes. She has a habit of leaving ash in places she has been.

The Chosen One is cunning despite her insanity. She hides under the facade of a timid clanswoman while Torak and Renn are the Red Deer Clan's guests.

She wishes to be one with the fire again through Thiazzi, and all she has to say about his death is that she envies him of finally feeling the fire. When she leaves Torak to die in the forest fire,she says that he's given the honor of being left under the fire's mercy. But when Torak survives it, she thinks that he's blessed. That's why she drugs the Deep Forest Clans so that he could escape execution, thinking that one spared by the fire can't be killed. She also tells Torak that she submits to any punishment he chooses to cast on her.