While the sensation was no longer unfamiliar, Anise again felt divided between two choices backed by powerful feelings. While her outfit had become singed by the dragon fire, something told her that with the protection of the Spirit Lantern and the strength of her own will she might actually be able to walk through the fire. She winced at the brightness of the light of the fire and the heat it put off. Would the fire completely destroy the lantern and free this portion of the dragon's egg completely? She had taken the first step by shattering the lantern perhaps this would finish the job.

She remembered what the fire did to Reus' who tried to get her to come away from the fire. She knew the flames could be deadly, but she also wanted to help the stranger. The decision to abandon this route or not was a heavy one. Part of her believed in the Dragon's ability to protect her from its own fire. Part of her wanted to abandon this and continue downriver to the lake where she could find the next lantern and return the Lady of the Pond to her home. Morly cried out.

[quote]"GET ON THE GOSHDANGIT RAFT CRAZY LADY!"[/quote]

She chuckled to herself a bit. Perhaps she was crazy. Crazy enough to consider walking into fire an option. She pulled herself away from the fire and made her way to the raft. [i]There is one responsibility I must... absolutely [b]must[/b] meet before I chase after the fire.[/i] This is what she told the Dragon.

Anise sat down on the raft and looked at Morly. "Are you alright?" She seriously hoped that the Kith wasn't anything more than scared of what just happened. If he had become injured she would have felt awful. She listened to whatever response he had and then looked downriver towards the lake. She had the stone and black chain that held the Lady of the Pond. She remembered that Wendetae had told her to break it and throw it into the lake before the Lady went truly mad. After that she was going to the ship wreck to find the Lantern there.