The water twisted and frothed; bubbles hissed in Anise's ears as her surroundings turned in the vortex of her own creation. Soon her vision was filled with spinning eyes and turning chomping teeth, struggling against the current toward her, bubbles and froth and torn turning leaves of kelp.

The beast opened its jaws again, and a deep impenetrable darkness grew deep in its throat; a ball of something powerful and something foul. The turning eyes flashed bright red, and the serpent grinned.

The water grew colder.

Rapidly, as tendrils of darkness reached out of the serpent's throat and quenched what little moonlight filtered down, the surface of the water froze over and ice thickened. The water around Anise was deathly frigid -- and above her, the ceiling of dark-tainted ice grew swiftly closer.

The serpent took advantage of the distraction to launch a strike, many rows of teeth wide to receive her -- but her jettison of water sent it spiraling back again, still seething the many vines of darkness that fed the ice.

She had her moment with the casket -- but getting out would prove far more difficult.

With a touch of Anise's glowing hand against the gold emblem on the casket, the lid would unlock with a low sound and a hiss of bubbles.

The Lady of Light lay still, her pale mouth and white eyes open -- breathless and sightless. She wore a tattered dress not unlike Anise's own, and her feet were bare and cold. Translucent hair floated around her.

In both hands she gripped a sword to her chest. The source of the light was a bright stone embedded in the hilt, that glowed like the sun.