Anise opened her now violet eyes as soon as she felt herself awaken. That piece that felt like it was missing still was, but regardless of that fact she felt somewhat more complete. Something that had left her feeling foggy before now left her clear and focused. She glanced around to see that her shattered dress had been replaced by a blue and very plain smock-dress. The next thing she saw was that none of the light around her had been created by either of the Lanterns she had held. So, not only had the Dragon lost her patience and hurried desperately to her body, but in her madness she took the Flight Egg as well.
She closed her eyes as dark feelings swirled inside of her. She was disappointed in herself just as much as she was in the Dragon. That ichor covering her body must have been the reason why she is so feared and hated. Then her rage boiled up. Her anger at the Lord of Shadow whom so greedily gathered power for himself and cared not about taking care of the Forest he was supposed to be in charge of. She fumed about the other Spirits who clearly did not care about the decay this world suffered in their actions and inaction. Above all of that she was furious with herself for failing to make any action that helped the Forest. Everything she had done had only placed it one step closer to its final destruction.
Once she had taken the time to calm down, she reopened her eyes and caught out of the corner of her eye a shadowy something. At first glance she saw the familiar shape of an old man grinning at her. She took a moment to realize who it was and then her heart jumped. Then Peck appeared before her and she quickly calmed. Perhaps not everything she had done had resulted in failure. After all, she had successfully saved him. Barely.
"Hey, you're back." He grinned a little, uncertain. "Don't move fast, you're okay, you're at the Roost. There's nothing to be done right now."
She sat upright steadily and accepted the cold water he handed her. Drinking it she realized just how parched she had become.
"The white Lantern is with the Dragon now," Peck informed Anise. "Everyone sees this as a bad omen, but we know the Dragon's return will be a good thing, right? Just three more Lanterns -- is that how it works? -- and the sun can come back." He offered her a smile. "You did it. Too bad Pirates are hard-headed and hard-convinced."
Her heart sunk heavily. She had no desire to disappoint any of them, but Peck was a special case where it would be world shattering to the both of them. If she lied to him, he would find out eventually and it would scar their relationship forever. However, telling him the truth would do just as much. At least that was how she imagined it. She finished drinking the water while she thought of a way to respond to him. She had accepted the fact that the Lady of Stone was correct in that she was a fraud. She had even convinced herself of her status. If anything she was a shard of the Lady of Light, but she was certainly not the Lady herself.
Then something clicked. If she could actually become the Lady of Light she would gain all the abilities that came with that territory. Light was a pure and cleansing thing. It brought clarity so all could see. If she was right in that she had a piece of that power then all she had to do was follow it to the true source. It would be connected just like the Dragon's power was. Then she could quite possibly cleanse the ichor from the Dragon before she became whole.
She looked directly at Peck eyes intense with focus. "Peck, my work it far from over. That dark ichor you saw on the Dragon's body is no good thing, but she is desperate and lost her patience. I do not know if the Lord of Shadow is responsible for it or if it's something else that simply... synergizes with the darkness." She looked at her hand with the Sun Rune scarred onto it. "Right now, I am just Anise Sinclair, the Princess of Riverford. At most I only have a piece of the Lady of Light within me. Since the Lord of Shadow prevents everything from truly dying I might be able to find her essence. Then I might be able to cleanse that evil from her. Then I might be able to save this world from the decay it has suffered over the centuries." She smiled at Peck full of hope. "Hope is far from gone."
She then concentrated on the Sun Rune. Every intent focused in on finding the true Lady of Light's spirit. She searched for the connection between her Light and the Lady's. She fully immersed herself in this search. She would make the Lady of Stone a liar. She would save the Dragon from that corruption. She would save this world from its destruction. As soon as she found that connection she would begin her march to her destination.
