Anise felt cold disappointment as she heard the shade's response.

[quote]FOOLISH CHILD[/quote]

This was not the old man speaking. It couldn't be. This could only be the one behind the darkness of this forest. Anise grit her teeth in bitter frustration. She now realized the dire situation she was in, and now it was too late to escape.

[quote]DARKNESS IS THE ONLY FREEDOM[/quote]

Darkness fought against the light of the lantern and Anise struggled to keep the light up. Her will and her will alone could only do so much. This darkness oppressed her heavily. She watched as Tyaelaem struggled to help her and desperately blinked back and forth out of existence.

"No! This isn't freedom!" She called out against the darkness righteously. "This is oppression! Imprisonment!"

She reached her hand out towards Tyaelaem whom then suddenly leaped at the lantern and laid his hands on it. Suddenly an explosion of force and light threw her back into Reus. Somehow, she barely managed to keep a hold of the lantern which steadily dimmed back to its normal blue glow. Anise glanced around and saw that the spirits and Tyaelaem were gone. She glanced at the lantern and worriedly asked. "Is Tyaelaem in there?"

She had realized during the darkness' attack Tyaelaem was actually a spirit, meaning the boy was dead. She could only hope that his last act to save her gave him the peace he deserved. She glanced around again and noticed an new person laying on the ground. The clothing he wore was unlike any clothing she had ever seen. She knelt to get a closer look at him. This poor soul had been brought here, summoned by the lantern.

Anise checked to see if he had any injuries and smiled when she saw that physically he looked alright. She glanced over to Reus and smiled at him. "We're alright now." She walked over to him and embraced him by wrapping her arms around his neck gently. "Thank you for being there with me. I don't know if I could have made it without you or Tyaelaem being there." She let get and faced the newcomer. "I have a promise to keep for myself. I need to help those that are stuck in this forest." She slowly looked out towards the forest. "New... and old."

She then waited for the newcomer to wake up. She adjusted her hawk mask so she didn't startle him when he did.