[quote]"Do you?" There was a lilt of amusement in her voice. "Tell me, whom have you helped? Whose life is better now that they've met you? The boy who held that Lantern before you? The old pirate who tried to protect you? The spirits still bound to the Lord of Shadow? The river boy? Hania, Randold, Talan, Simon. Reus. Tyaelaem." Her eyes were cold.[/quote]

Anise's heart sank at the names given. The people she failed. They had all died or suffered in some way for her to get here now. However, she would use their sacrifices to push herself forward to her goal. Towards success instead of failure. "My quest has not been easy, I know." She looked the Lady of the Pond directly in the eyes. "I cannot give up the path I started." After all, she had successes as well: the stranger with the red lantern and the Lady of the Pond herself.

[quote]She pressed a hand to her heart. "I am the first to be indebted to the Lady of Light, am I not? You've decided you have no enemies, that your intentions are pure. That you will never return to your throne at Riverforde and your husband-to-be, instead to restore the gods and spirits to a foreign land. To save us all."[/quote]

She nodded once determinedly. That was right. She would abandon Riverforde and her fiance. She knew that returning there after this life changing experience would be a mistake. Her connection to that place was superficial now that she had time to experience this world. She had grown up behind the safety of Father's castle after all with nothing but stories as her outside experience. "That is right. I abandon Riverforde. I don't think I could ever be happy with returning there anyways."

[quote]Her smile broadened slowly, and she raised a thin hand. The gold-flecked water around the raft began to swirl and churn.

"I'm sure you've realized by now that it is not an accident that you were brought here, Anise Sinclair -- but it is not the reason you think."[/quote]

Anise hardly noticed the water as her focus was completely on the Lady of the Pond before her. Maybe she was destined to be here. If it wasn't for the reason she believed then she would find out why. She doubted that the Lady of the Pond would tell her though, so she decided not to ask. This would be something she'd have to find out for herself.

[quote]
Cold water rushed up out of the lake and surrounded Anise's head, filled her mouth and nose, forced itself down her throat. The blue Lantern did not react, but was only passive and hollow. It did not see danger.[/quote]

Startled, Anise struggled slightly as the water enveloped her. She was surprised and shocked about what happened. She was choking, but something told her that she wasn't dying, and the fact that the Lantern did not react helped her stay calm somewhat. Somehow, she heard the Lady of the Pond's last words to her.

[quote]"You amuse me. You may well accomplish all you declare. But first you may wish to ask yourself what happened to the last Lady of Light."[/quote]

Then all faded to black. When she came to she was drenched and closer to the shipwreck. She looked around searching for the Lady of the Pond, but to no avail. She noticed the blue rune glowing on her hand and slowly fading and closely watched it inspecting it before it became too hard to see. She then refocused her attention on the nearer shipwreck. She grabbed the pole and pushed the raft closer to the wreck understanding the danger she was approaching. She decided that she would deal with the gryphon as soon as it became an issue to deal with. Right now there was little she could do, but forge ahead and make her way to the next Lantern.