Komeyt

by Antonio Calavera

Komeyt. Noun. : to issue forth, to let loose. Colloquially: to let go - Translations from Dovah, Giraud Gemaine, Historian of the Bards College, Solitude. Sequel to "Those Who Favor Fire"

Zu'u komeyt

Zu'u komeyt

Zu'u los gein woth fin ven ahrk lok

Zu'u komeyt

Zu'u komeyt

Neh koraav luvi filok

Het zu'u kriist

Ahrk het zu'u dein

Aal fin strun rahgol

Suleyki strun zeim fin su kotin fin golt

Ziili los wuld ko diin peytte pah fundein

Ahrk gein morah med iiz fus wahlaan

Zu'u neh daal

wuth tiid los mahfaeraak sizaan

Zu'u komeyt

Zu'u komeyt

Ahrk zu'u alok med fin sul wahlaan

Zu'u komeyt

Zu'u komeyt

Tol pruzaan briinah los sizaan

Het zu'u kriist

ko fin krein do sul

Aal fin strun rahgol

Zu'u los neh nin naal fin krah naan ful

Meditations of Elsa I of Arendelle, Tablet II, North Mountain

~~v~~

Anna stared in awe at the pile of gold in the chamber. She swallowed, steeled herself, and spoke. "I am Princess Anna! I call upon the royal treasurer and guardian of this kingdom's wealth to come forth and, er, have a chat with me! Please."

The small mountain of gold and jewels shifted, sending masses of coins shifting around Anna's feet. A mound appeared in front of her, and she shuddered as KaalVurshaan's enormous maw surfaced from the sea of gold. The dragon yawned widely, and she had a good view of hundreds of serrated teeth before Kaal remembered himself and bowed, gold coins streaming off his forehead as he did.

"Lok Thu'um, dun kulaas."

"Er... hi! Are you enjoying your new digs?"

The dragon lowered his chin to the floor so that his eye level was just below hers. "I have a pile of gold to sleep in, a mountain to haunt, and a princess to talk to. What more could a dragon ask for?"

"Thanks! I just, er, wanted to make sure you were okay with your new job, er, not that that means you're a servant or anything because it would be wrong to disrespect a dragon that way! No! No, wait, it's not just that you're a dragon but that you're my friend and well I, uh..."

Kaal huffed. "I am doing fine, child."

Anna collected herself. "Okay. I was expecting you to take good care of the money, but sleeping in it is just, like, real commitment and I just realized that we never gave you a secretary to keep track of the funds, you know, someone who could use a ledger and a pen..."

Kaal let out a snort and advanced on Anna. "Your treasure is safe, sweet child. Dovah mindok yuvon. Not a brass ring could roll out of here but I would know of it. But you are not here for tinvaak, hrrrmm, conversation with an old dovah."

"Um, I have a request."

"Speak."

"Elsa will be in here soon. She'll ask to withdraw money. A lot of it. Don't let her."

"It is not my place to deny the queen access to her treasure, kulaas. Even at your request."

"Well, stall her or something! She's making a really big mistake, Kaal!"

"It is her money to do with as she wishes."

"Now you're starting to sound like her. She wouldn't listen to me! She shouted down all the advisers! I didn't even get a chance to change her mind!"

Kaal glanced over her shoulder. "You may have your chance shortly."

Anna's eyes bugged out and she hid behind the door just as Elsa marched into the room.

"KaalVurShaan. I need access to my funds."

"Your wish is my command, o queen. Of which funds do you speak.?"

"There is a certain amount of gold set aside twenty-two years ago by order of my father the king. You will please liquidate it and prepare it for transport immediately."

"This is a substantial amount, your majesty. And as I recall, there was a very specific condition under which those funds could be moved. I congratulate you on your engagement. If I may ask, when will the wedding take place?"

Elsa blinked. "Wedding?"

"Is it not your dowry that you are asking me to process?"

Elsa took a deep breath. "I am not engaged and there will no wedding. Nonetheless you must allow me to withdraw the money immediately."

"That would go against the order of the late king."

"An order which I, as queen, am overriding. Kaal, why are you making this so difficult? Does your new role tire you?"

"It suits me perfectly. Nonetheless I will need much time to grant this request. Perhaps you wish to reconsider?"

Behind Elsa, Anna grinned and pumped her fist.

"KaalVurShaan. You are trying my patience."

"It pains me to do so, nonvul jud. Krosis. To do you this disservice wounds me, yet I have been asked to stall you for as long as possible."

Anna gaped at him.

"When I find those cursed advisers... which of them put you up to this?"

"Begging your pardon, my lady, but the list of people for whom I would inconvenience you in even the slightest way is short indeed, and none of your staff are on it."

"... Anna. I need to find her." Elsa growled. "I do not have time for this!"

"You would need little time indeed. She is standing behind you."

Elsa whipped around to see Anna glaring daggers at Kaal.

Elsa crossed her arms, shoulders hunched, and averted her eyes. "Anna."

"Elsa."

"Arendelle is in desperate straits, Anna. You know this better than I do – you're the one who's been going around trying to encourage the survivors of the attack. You know how bad it is out there. This is the best way, the only way I have to help them, and to atone for the damage I've caused."

"You long ago made up for that. And there are many ways to help! We just need to band together-"

"With who, Anna? Weselton? The Southern Isles?"

"We have allies, Elsa. I know Corona at least would be willing to help."

"Anna, not one ship has arrived in Arendelle since the attack. Every ship we have sent out has never been heard from again. We're alone. Our people need this money or what's left of our economy will collapse completely and everyone will starve! What is your problem, Anna?"

"You know what my problem is. Why aren't you withdrawing my dowry too?"

"Anna, that money is yours."

"You wouldn't know it the way you won't let me use it to help."

"Are you really going to make me spell it out?"

Anna glared at her. Behind them, Kaal sank quietly into the pile of gold.

"Anna, that's for when you get married."

"Excuse me?"

Elsa wrung her hands. "Anna... Y-you deserve better than-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!"

"-than to be shackled to me, to your sister for the rest of your life. You'll find a man – or a woman – who will make you happy, who will give you what I never can."

Anna's hand whipped out and grabbed Elsa's collar. She pulled her close until their foreheads were touching. Elsa averted her eyes.

"Look at me, Elsa look at me." Anna shook her. When Elsa finally met her eyes, she whispered. "Look at me. Look at this ring I put on your finger." I will never stop loving you, I will never leave you, and I will never want anyone else. How could you think otherwise? Elsa, how could you?"

And she let the tears flow.

Now it was Elsa who clung to her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But Anna, my order stands. What if something happens to me? I won't let you pine away after a memory. You deserve a second chance to be happy..."

"And you don't? I'm not immortal either, Elsa!"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does! You're the one who brought this up. When I'm gone-"

"Don't. Just don't."

"Elsa-"

"I go when you do, Anna. It is as simple as that."

"Why must you be so morbid? No one's going anywhere!"

"Hrrrmm. That may not be the case."

Queen and princess turned to face the dragon, who had poked his head out of the gold pile and was now regarding them with head tilted.

Elsa's eyes narrowed. "Care to explain, Kaal?"

"When a lah jul, a mage, perceives herself marked for death, she is likely to be correct."

Anna paled and gripped Elsa's arm. "What?"

"Let me examine you, child. Laas! Yah! Nir!"

Kaal regarded them both for a long moment. "Yes, you feel it too, do you not, Anna?" Now it was Elsa who stiffened.

"There is something about your souls. Both of them. I have seen it but rarely. Either fate has no hold over you, or you are about to die."

~~v~~

Elsa stirred just in time to see Anna slip out of the bedroom. Pulling on a robe, she picked a crocus from the bed and padded after her.

Anna stood in the library, book in hand. A moonbeam shone through a window above her, and for a moment, her hair looked as white as Elsa's, as white as on the day when-

Elsa shook her head and blinked. When she opened her eyes, Anna was still there, hair red as ever, poring over a book. She watched her for long minutes, heart aglow, and when she felt tears come unbidden she stepped forward and put her arms around her love.

Anna gasped, then sighed as Elsa's lips brushed her cheek. "How long have you been here?"

"Since you woke up, briinah." She kissed Anna's head and Anna felt her breath on her hair.

"Briinah, huh? What's the dovah word for 'lover?'"

"I don't think they have one. That is..." She threaded the flower into Anna's hair. "... something unique to us."

"Oh, Elsa..." Anna turned and held her. Long minutes passed. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Not your fault. I can feel your heartbeat." Elsa stroked her hair. "Another nightmare?"

"Yeah. The same things again. The tomb. The things with the glowing eyes. But Elsa, there was something different this time. Elsa, I saw the ship."

Elsa gripped her and shook her head.

"Elsa... when you had that awful nightmare a couple of days ago... it wasn't just the tomb and the eyes, was it?"

"I shouldn't have kept it to myself... but the thought was unbearable. I saw it, Anna. I saw the Pride of Arendelle. She was sitting on the seafloor. I wanted to flee, but I was suddenly inside, and I saw..." Elsa started shaking. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you."

Anna swallowed. "You saw our parents. What was left of them." Elsa nodded.

Anna looked around. The library was suddenly too dark. She pulled the queen into the moonlight in front of the window. Both jumped as a cold wind pushed one of the doors shut. She felt Elsa's heart pounding and looked at her in alarm. Her beloved had gone even paler than usual, and she was breathing too fast. "Elsa. Elsa, stay with me. Oh we've got to get you out of here!" She pulled her out of the library, and Elsa clung to her as if drowning. The hallway was huge and dark, and Anna halted and felt her own heart race when she saw the painting at the end of the hallway. The shrouded painting of their parents. The moonlight had rendered the shroud transparent.

They would have to get past it to get to one of their bedrooms.

Anna stepped forward and faltered. Elsa raised her head and Anna abruptly covered her eyes. Without speaking, she turned and led her into one of the rooms off the hallway

No.

Oh no.

She hadn't set foot in this room in years.

"Oh no, Elsa, not here, Oh, Elsa, I'm sorry!"

Elsa looked up, moaned, and promptly froze the whole room.

Their parents' bedroom.

Elsa sagged to the floor and gasped for breath as Anna clung to her. Anna tried to summon a flame, a light, anything, but the spark died in her fingers as the wardrobe shattered and she was running, dragging Elsa into the hall, past the staring eyes of the painting and into Elsa's bedroom. She slammed the door shut and winced as the sound made Elsa cry out. She lifted her onto the bed and instinct took over and they clung to each other, hiding under the covers as if they were little girls again. Anna whispered in Elsa's ear. First she begged for forgiveness, then begged her to please, please be calm, and after a few minutes was reduced to whispering her name over and over.

~~v~~

Anna shivered as Elsa poured her another mug of hot chocolate. The sun shone through the window.

Elsa had awoken to find Anna half frozen in her arms. She had tried to drag her to the library fireplace, but the thought of going back there had made Anna shake even harder, so she had called Gerda and asked as calmly as she could for something to warm her up. After Gerda had brought mugs for both of them and left, she watched for a moment as Anna sat on the bed, then sank to the floor and wrapped her arms around Anna's knees.

Anna set aside her drink and glared at her. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this."

Elsa covered her face with her hands.

"Elsa, what happened last night was my fault. I won't let you think any different, now get up." She pulled Elsa to her feet and drained the mug. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"You know where."

Elsa faltered.

Anna took her hands. "We need to fix their room. We owe it to them." And Elsa nodded and walked with her.

Neither of them looked at the painting.

Inside their parents' bedroom, Elsa reached out a hand. When Anna noticed it shaking, she took her beloved in her arms and kissed her, and the frost in the room disappeared.

They looked at the ruined wardrobe, and Anna's brow furrowed. "What's this?" She rapped on a loose board that had come loose when the wall had frozen. It echoed.

"Hollow?" She pulled the board loose. "Elsa, there's a secret compartment back here!" Anna reached inside and pulled out the two objects within: a book, and black, heavy sculpture in the shape of a dragon's claw.

~~v~~

Kaal had almost snarled when they showed him the claw. "Where did you get that?"

Elsa produced the note that had been tucked into the book. "This is why our parents died. Our father inherited this claw and this book from his father and his father and beyond. He spent years researching what it meant, and he came to the conclusion that the answer lay within the royal archives of Corona. The two royal families are related. Four years ago our parents left for Corona on their ship, the Pride of Arendelle, and..."

"Hrrrmm. I see. What is in the book?"

Anna piped up. "It's called the Dragon Manual! Dad translated it from ancient Norse. It was written long ago by a viking named Hiccup, and contains stats on all kinds of dragons like you and how to defeat and even tame them!"

Kaal huffed. "If they could be defeated or tamed, then I assure you they were not like me. I doubt the king and queen would have left on such a journey based on a book of fairy tales."

"I don't think this is just a bunch of stories, Kaal. It reads as if there really were dragons, and that the vikings took them seriously."

"And where are these dragons now?"

"A year ago I would have said there was no such thing as dragons, but, well..." she waved a hand at Kaal.

Elsa spoke. "What of the claw, Kaal?"

"This thing is familiar to me. The diamonds set in it are mundane, but the claw itself is not of this earth – it is made of ebony, a strong and valuable substance not known to your world. It comes from my world, children. It comes from Mundus."

"Kaal, why would my parents be in possession of such a thing? You said that the time wound that brought you and Alduin here opened only just recently."

"Wuldsetiid los tahrodiis. Time is a mystery, and a treacherous one. I do not know how this thing came to your parents, but it is certainly an artifact of the Dragon Cult, a violent and power hungry group that sought to enslave humanity. These claws were used to unlock the hidden tombs where the deepest secrets of the cult were hidden. I fought a long and savage war against this cult, for they worshiped Alduin the World-Eater, whose power and cruelty you well know."

Elsa gazed at the claw. "I wish we could go to Corona, but every ship we've sent has disappeared, and no ship has made it here."

"I think you know why, snow queen."

"Elsa looked up, eyes hard. "Alduin."

"I do not know what he is planning, kiirre, but the seas are closed to us."

"It's just as well. With Alduin at large, we have more important things to worry about than researching old heirlooms."

"That may not be the case, your majesty. I have spent the morning counting out your dowries." He eyed Anna. "Both of them. And they will hold back Arendelle's starvation by less than one year."

Anna spoke up. "Then we have to do this. This thing might be our best shot at stopping Alduin. We're screwed for as long as he's out there, and that's not even counting whatever it is he has planned. Kaal, can you carry us to Corona?"

Kaal sat up and Anna was reminded of just how big he was. "Sweet child. It is a long and distinguished tradition among the dovah to incinerate anyone who dares ask such a thing."

"Er... sorry?"

Elsa stepped between them. "We would not ask except at great need, KaalVurShaan."

"I know. Still. To ride a dragon is not merely a thing of trust, it is a crossing of bounds. How would you feel, Anna, if some upstart prince were to ask permission to ride on Elsa's back?"

Anna bristled and Kaal suddenly laughed. "And yet you children are grown so dear to me that I cannot refuse you. Let us make plans."

~~v~~

Things proceeded swiftly. Copies of the Dragon Manual and sketches of the dragon claw and the three symbols on it were made and ensconced in the library. Anna and Elsa packed little: bread, rope, a climbing hook, and some gold. Elsa had protested her bringing a shovel, but had promptly backed off when Anna pointed out the largish bag of chocolate she had tried to sneak into her own pack. Water would not be a problem, since Elsa could conjure snow and Anna could melt it. Spare clothing was not an issue – Elsa could provide both raiment and armor for both of them.

Regents were appointed and instructions given to the advisers. Defensive plans were drawn up for the ice-men in case anything happened. Kristoff had been worried, of course, but when Elsa presented him with a new ice sword to replace the one that had been lost in Alduin's attack, and when Anna enchanted it to set enemies on fire despite being made of ice, he found himself placated. "Be careful, you three. Especially you, Anna, I know how reckless you are."

"Am not!"

Beside them, Olaf piped up. "Don't worry, Kristoff! I know they'll be good company for Anna! I mean, I know she has a track record for hanging out with people who nearly freeze her, but I know they won't do it again!"

Kaal and Elsa stared at him, one with exasperation, the other with a vaguely wounded expression. Olaf grinned sheepishly. "Too soon?"

The plan was to fly low and fast across the water, using ground effect to save energy and Kaal's camouflage to remain unseen. They would land in the forest near the castle so as not to terrify anyone with Kaal's presence, and walk into Corona to ask for an audience with the king. Anna had wanted to fly right onto the castle grounds, reasoning that one did not simply walk into Corona, but Elsa and Kaal had vetoed it.

All that was left was to explain their mission to the people. Elsa had called a gathering, and hundreds now stood in the partly rebuilt courtyard of Arendelle Castle.

"Citizens of Arendelle. This has been a most difficult year. The destruction of the Southern Isles, the rise of the black dragon, and the attack that nearly destroyed our kingdom have taken their toll on us all. Alduin has shut down all trade by sea. Our farms are decimated and our economy is in dire straits. There has been suffering and sorrow, but if we are to move forward, we must let it go. I cannot ask you to endure unless I too let go of something. After... intensive consultations, my sister and I have agreed to donate our dowries in order to keep the kingdom afloat." Gasps and murmuring greeted her announcement. "I realize that this will raise worries about my marriage prospects. I appreciate your concern, really, I do, but, well, um, that issue never bothered me anyway." She blushed. "More importantly, I know that many of you are worried about the continuance of the royal line. I have given this much thought. As you are well aware, there are many extraordinary, mysterious things about the Royal House of Arendelle, but my sister and I have recently uncovered a secret from the past that could save or destroy us all. We will resolve the issue of the royal lineage once we actually find out just what we are, and where we come from. We go now to the kingdom of Corona, and possibly points beyond. We may not be back for some time, but this secret is directly connected to the rise of the black dragon, and it is only right that we find the truth lest our rule become more of a curse than a blessing to Arendelle. Just as importantly, even with the donation of our dowries, the kingdom will not survive more than a few months without trade. This secret may allow us to defeat the black dragon and restore prosperity to our kingdom. All measures have been taken for your care and defense while we are gone."

Elsa took a deep breath. "I'm not going to lie to you. Even though we have a dragon on our side," on the roof, Kaal waved at the crowd, "we have a frightening and dangerous journey ahead of us. So before we go..." She waved a hand and froze the floor of the courtyard. "... would you care to ice skate with me one more time?"

~~v~~

They departed as night fell. Kaal let them climb onto his back, and within minutes, they were hundreds of feet above Arendelle. "You deserve to see your kingdom from the air," he said. Elsa and Anna held hands as they beheld Arendelle beneath the moonlight. Elsa reached out a hand and let the clouds sift through her fingers, and a gentle snowfall issued where she touched them. Kaal circled a few times, and spoke again. "Now is the time for speed. Make ready, children." Anna used her rope to lash herself to Elsa, who conjured goggles for both of them from crystalline ice. "Hold closely!" And he dived.

Anna let out a whoop of delight as Elsa clung to one of Kaal's spikes and clamped her eyes shut. Kaal folded his wings, using only his wingtips to steer, and they plummeted down, down, past the castle and over the sea, until Anna was sure they would crash into the waves. But Kaal twisted his wings just so, and then they were rushing over the glassy water at wave top height.

After awhile, Anna let her head rest on her lover's shoulder. Elsa's head drooped. "Sleep, children," said Kaal.

"But what if one of us rolls off you? We have neither saddle nor safety line."

"Sweet child. Once you are on my back, it is my business to keep you on my back, unless you jump off into the air. You will be safe tonight. Tomorrow is a different story."

And Elsa leaned forward and closed her eyes and did not dream.

~~v~~

Anna reached forward and dug a hand into the sleeping Elsa's pack. Moving as slowly as she could, she withdrew a chocolate, and suddenly, Elsa's hand was around her wrist.

"Gotcha!" The two of them laughed and shared breakfast on the wing. When the sun was high in the sky, Elsa squinted through a spyglass she had made from an icicle and gasped. "Kaal!"

"I see them too. Corona is under attack. By dragons." Behind them Anna smirked. "Hah! They are real! Wait, what?"

~~v~~

Prince Eugene waved the last of the reserves into position. Beside him, Princess Rapunzel shifted uncomfortably. "Can't we send them into the city?"

"We can't possibly defend the whole kingdom. Our best bet is to evacuate everyone to the central island and hold it against all comers with what forces we have left. Even if it means leaving most of Corona undefended."

Across the bridge, screams erupted as a green two-headed dragon carried off yet another citizen. Eugene blinked. "They're forming up! Archers!"

Above them the vast swarm of dragons coalesced into a roiling mass and shot at the causeway. The crossbowmen let fly, and thousand of bolts sailed into the swarm. A few dragons fell, but the rest flew on and launched a wave of fireballs that sent everyone ducking for cover. Maximus yelped as a near miss singed his tail. Rapunzel and the castle staff rushed about with buckets of water, but a dozen small fires continued to blaze all around them. The swarm swerved about for another pass, and Eugene gulped when he saw the sleek black dragons leading the way.

"Rapunzel, get back to the keep!"

"I am not leaving you here!"

Eugene's retort was drowned by a roar. A shadow flashed overhead, and suddenly two young women clad in sparkling blue armor stood between them and the swarm. One of them gestured skywards with a shout, and a dozen fireballs leaped from her hands and burned several dragons out of the air. The other waved a hand, and walls of ice erupted from the ground just in time to intercept another wave of dragon fire.

The taller one turned to him, and he gaped. "Queen Elsa? Princess Anna!"

"Don't shoot the gray one, he's one of ours!"

Rapunzel's eyes lit up. "Cousin Anna! You've got powers too-"

A black dragon swept past, and she was gone.

Elsa shouted skywards. "Kaal! Night fury!"

~~v~~

Rapunzel wriggled in the black dragon's grip. The creature swerved, and she held on for dear life as Corona castle became smaller and smaller below them. Where was it taking her?

Wuld! Nah! Kest!

A huge gray blur smashed into the night fury's right wing, which broke with an audible crack. Rapunzel fell through the air and smacked into a hard surface before she had time to scream. Then she saw where she had landed and screamed anyway.

"I'm on your side, child! Quickly! Are there any behind us?"

"Uh, two!"

"Hang on!" Kaal whipped into a snap roll, and Rapunzel found herself face to face with an enormous scarlet dragon that had somehow set itself on fire. Instinct took over, and her frying pan smacked into the side of its head with a satisfying crunch. Below them, the night fury that had tried to kidnap her pancaked into the water with a splash, and all of a sudden, they were flying through the spray as Kaal dove to wave top height.

"There's like fifty of them behind us!"

The dragon started laughing. "I have a plan but you're not going to like it." He arced about and flew straight at a ship of the line that was guarding the bay. Fifty cannon aimed at them.

"They don't know we're friendly!"

"Hold your breath!" Kaal skimmed the surface, a wet fist smacked into Rapunzel's face, and she realized with a shock that she was underwater. There was a muffled thud as the ship above them blasted the incoming dragon swarm with hundreds of pounds of grape shot. On the other side of the ship, Kaal shot out of the water and weaved frantically to avoid the minced remains of the dragons that plummeted from the sky on every side. Rapunzel crowed as Kaal flapped over to the causeway and set her down soaking in front of an astonished Eugene. Rapunzel leaped off Kaal and rushed into his arms.

"Uh... you're soaking my outfit." She stared at him, wild-eyed. "I just killed a dragon with a frying pan, so just for today you all can just take it!" And she kissed him.

"Not that I'm objecting, but your laces are undone." Rapunzel glanced wide-eyed at the wrecked front of her dress and then pressed tight against him. "Well, that's one way to cover up, I guess..."

Behind them, Anna was shouting at the guardsmen. "Noise throws off their aim! Use your stupid frying pans as drums!" A few soldiers started smacking their swords and frying pans together, then more when they saw the dragons weave about drunkenly. The crossbowmen seized their chance, and more dragons plummeted into the bay.

Elsa strode up to them, hair askew. "Your highnesses, may I present my dear friend and royal treasurer, KaalVurShaan."

Kaal tilted his head. "Pleased to eat you. Wait, what?"

Another dragon smacked into the causeway. Maximus, tail still smoking, charged into it from the side and started clubbing it into submission with his hooves.

~~v~~

Wrestling past their bodyguards, the king and queen charged onto the causeway to see half a dozen maimed dragons, an ice queen, a fire princess, and their daughter, laughing hysterically with tears streaming down her cheeks and wearing her husband's shirt as she conversed with the biggest dragon they had ever seen. Said husband was traipsing about shirtless on his slightly singed horse waving a frying pan while the royal guard and surviving citizens cheered. They all noticed him at once, and silence fell.

It was said by the people that of all the varied monarchs of the seaside kingdoms, the king of Corona was the wisest. Today, he proved them right. "Drinks for everyone!" He cried.

~~v~~

Kaal dunked his head into another barrel of ale and thumped his tail, rattling everyone's tankards. "And that was when I decided, it's time to show them the difference between a dragon and a dovah! Viin! Rel Zoor!" He glowed with glorious radiance, reared up, and promptly got tangled in the chandelier. The soldiers laughed and proposed another toast. On the dance floor, clad in fresh shirts, Eugene and Rapunzel danced happily with the citizens as Anna eagerly recounted the stories of their adventures to the king and queen. Beside her, Elsa dozed happily with two empty tankards of small beer in front of her.

Their conversation was interrupted when four little redheaded girls ran up to their table, braids flying. "Those two were awesome! They saved so many people from the dragons! Anna would zap them, and Elsa would make ice slides so that the people they dropped could get down safe! I wanna do it again!" Anna giggled, and Elsa suddenly stirred. "Anna?" She stared at the four sisters. "Why are there four of you? I've had too much to drink, haven't I?" The sisters giggled, and Anna sang out. "Do you wanna build a snowman?"

A pile of snow appeared in the corner of the ballroom as Elsa got up unsteadily, laughing. "Of course I do!" And she let the girls lead her forward, blissfully unaware of the chameleon on her head.

~~v~~

"Why Duke Weselton, I've never seen you reluctant to make a deal before."

The Duke of Weselton sputtered. "It's just that we have no idea where you're sending these workers you're hiring from us! Hundreds upon hundreds!"

"Since when do you care? You are well paid for the service."

The Duke sat up in his chair. "I know you think me a cold-hearted dealer, your highness, but human resources are valuable in the long run. I just need to know when they'll return, that's all! You've hired away practically all our mercenaries, so much of our skilled labor-"

"Then I'll take your unskilled labor. Your beggars, your petty vagrants, your dregs and drunkards. Load them onto the ships, but you'll only get half price for them."

The Duke hesitated.

"Come now, Weselton, you know I'm doing you a service. How else would you get rid of all those unsightly poor people? Besides, you need this trade."

"I just don't understand. None of our trade ships have returned and not one ship from the neighboring kingdoms has made it here! Except yours, of course."

"Isn't it obvious? That witch in Arendelle has persuaded the other nations to emulate her trade embargo! That's why we're the only ones who are still doing business with you – we see through the lies and sorcery."

The Duke pounded his fist on the table. "I knew it! This is an act of war!" His eyebrows narrowed, and he smiled. "Should you ever wish to avenge the insults done to you in Arendelle, Weselton will support you."

"You want me to fight your war for you."

"I didn't say there wouldn't be benefits! We can give you a discount on arms and armor! Unofficially, of course."

"No arms. Just people."

"Alright. But this better be worth it. And I'd feel a lot better if you'd take off that mask."

Behind his dragon priest mask, Hans smiled. "I think it suits me."

~~v~~

Anna dumped another stack of books on the table, eliciting a wave of moans from her companions. "Come on, the sky's awake! We need to get cracking on the answer to this riddle!"

Rapunzel lifted her head from the library table. Beside her, Eugene twitched and mumbled incoherently. "How does she do it?"

Elsa rubbed her temples. "I don't know. What was in that ale?" Beside her, Pascal lay belly up and purple on the table, tongue hanging out.

Eugene stirred. "I'm gonna tell her."

"Don't you dare!"

"Man, you guys need to do more partying, build up your resistance!" Anna moved to the curtains.

"No! No no no Anna don't- AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!" Anna threw open the curtains and all-consuming light stabbed into the room. The group's screams were echoed by an anguished roar from the courtyard.

"Keep it down, children," Kaal yelled, then dug his face into the grass and covered his head with his wings.

Anna stifled a laugh and set a book in front of Elsa. "This is the best lead we've got so far." Elsa opened it and squinted at the runes. "Um... what is this?"

"It's the diary of a princess who lived a really, really long time ago. Look at the sketches." Amid several drawings of landscapes and designs for bows and arrows was a picture of an immense stone door. "The lock of that door has three holes. Our dragon claw has three prongs. But the real clincher is the symbols on the stone wheels surrounding the lock. Some of them match the markings on the claw."

Eugene peeked over their shoulders. "These runes that the book is written in... I once stol-er, encountered some artifacts that had them. They're so old that no one could ever figure out what they meant."

"Well that's simple. This is the rune for 'B,' this one for 'R,' this one means 'A,' this is a Latin 'V'..."

Elsa's eyes widened. "You can read Gaelic?"

"Cooped up in a castle away from my best buddy? I had to do something to stay sane after Mom and Dad banned me from talking to the portraits! You would be surprised at what I can do."

"I can relate!" Rapunzel grinned at her new friend. "Though I don't know how you survived without a chameleon." Pascal turned a happy shade of pink as she petted him. "So where is this door?"

"West. Far to the west. In a place called DunBroch."

~~v~~

After a few minutes chatting about life in ivory towers, Anna excused herself and looked among the shelves for Elsa. She finally found her near the back of the library, staring unseeing at a particularly dusty shelf of books.

"Elsa," Anna moved closer to her lover, who had suddenly become very interested in the Corona tax code. "Remember what I told you about not blaming yourself," she whispered in her ear.

Elsa nodded. "I know, I know." She turned to her. "Anna, is it okay to be mad at them? At Mom and Dad?"

"Letting me learn a new language wasn't exactly cruel, Elsa."

"You know what I mean. Anna, how could they have done that to you? I am so..." Her fists were clenched and the temperature had dropped. "... angry at them! I understand why they secluded me, but you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve that!" Her hands shook and she fought to bring her breathing under control. "Then they went and abandoned us, and now they're haunting our nightmares! How can I forgive all that? When will we ever be free of them, Anna?"

Anna took her hands in hers. "It's okay to be mad at them, Elsa. Look at me, look at me." She cupped Elsa's cheek in her hand. "They loved you. They loved both of us. They made mistakes, sure, but Elsa, they really did want the best for us. The past is in the past. And when we have our own children, we'll do better."

Anna had only a moment to realize what she had just said before Elsa had her and was holding her so tightly that she found it hard to breathe. It was a full five minutes before either of them could move or say anything.

~~v~~

Elsa, Anna, and Kaal stood in front of the assembled royalty and nobility of Corona. The royal guard stood in formation beside them, each one armed with a frying pan and a copy of the Dragon Manual. The king stepped forward.

"We bid you farewell, Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, and KaalVurShaan of Arendelle. We wish you good luck on your journey and hope that you find what you are looking for. In gratitude to you for saving our kingdom, we offer you these gifts. Queen Elsa, we give to you these jewels from our treasury, and look forward to the resurgence of your kingdom as a trading partner and ally." Elsa gulped as she received the sack of jewels. From the weight alone, there was enough in here to keep Arendelle going for another couple of months.

"Princess Anna, four years ago, your father sent us a letter asking that we reserve some research materials for his use. These and the other materials you have chosen from our library have been copied for your use." Anna bowed deeply.

The king turned to Kaal. "We have found ourselves at a loss, for we have never had a guest from among the dovah before. Yet you shall not be the only one of our guests to leave without a gift. Name your desire, KaalVurShaan."

Kaal stepped forward and bowed as much as he was able. "Hail, mortal king. You have honored me beyond measure already, for your daughter is the first mortal in this world to ever fight on dragonback. She is clever and brave, and it is an honor to call her battle-sister. If it pleased you, I would be a thane of your kingdom that I might stand up for her as her defender and friend, and ask your leave to visit her from time to time to share the stories and wisdom of the dovah."

A murmur arose as the gathered citizens wondered at his request. A radiant smile appeared on the queen's face. The king looked to her for a moment, then smiled. "Let it never again be said that all the dovah are monstrous and ungenerous! In all my life I had never imagined that I would call a dragon my friend. KaalVurShaan, I hereby name you thane of Corona, grant you free passage to all the kingdom, and name you honorary uncle to Princess Rapunzel. We shall present you shortly with a weapon from our armory as your badge of office."

At this point, Rapunzel stepped forward and became the first mortal in the world to ever hug a dragon and live to tell the tale.

~~v~~

Kristoff stalked through an alley, sword raised. Behind him, Sven swiveled his head around. The horrid noises had come from around here. Kristoff saw that all the doors and windows were barred. All nightlife in Arendelle was shut down. Sven made an agitated noise, and then he saw it. A man stood in the moonlight, and Kristoff recognized it as one of the things he had killed two nights ago. It was tall and gaunt. It did not breathe. Its lips peeled back in a permanent grimace and there were glowing blue pinpoints where its eyes should have been. On its shoulder, it hefted another corpse stolen from the local cemetery. Sven lowered his antlers and prepared to charge, but Sven held up a hand. "We need to see where they've been taking the bodies."

The two of them followed it as it stalked through the town, and he remembered a term Anna had taught him during an evening of storytelling about the savage Americas.

Zombi.

Kristoff and Sven shadowed the thing as it passed through the town, passed within a hundred feet of the castle, and walked effortlessly into the bay, taking its grisly burden with it.

~~v~~

Elsa was thoughtful as they flew away from Corona. "You never asked me if you wished to be thane of Arendelle, Kaal."

"My apologies, snow queen. After what I put you through during our first meeting, I did not feel I deserved the honor."

Elsa and Anna exchanged a look.

"We disagree."

Anna spoke. "Kaal, your first words to Elsa were to try to persuade her not to kill herself! I will never stop being thankful to you for that!"

"The thanehood is yours, KaaVurShaan, for this and many other reasons, should you ever wish to grant us the honor," Elsa said.

Kaal rumbled and arced around a cloud. "The honor is mine, queen Elsa. But it will have to wait until we land. I cannot bow to you in midair."

Elsa ran a hand over his plates. "You'll never have to."

~~v~~

"Wake up, children!"

Elsa stirred, jerked awake when she remembered where she was, and nearly fell off Kaal's back. But her sleeping lover's arm held her fast, and after a moment Elsa took a deep breath and shook her awake.

"Welcome to Scotland, briinahhe!" Anna gasped as they burst through the clouds. "It's beautiful!"

Elsa gulped. "It's huge! How are we going to find one door in the middle of all this?" Anna opened her copy of the Brave Codex. "Well, it says here that..."

~~v~~

Princess Merida patted the exhausted Angus on the nose and walked into the standing stones, bow at the ready. There was another flash, and then there was a walking corpse charging at her, eyes aglow. She did not flinch, but nocked an arrow and let fly. Her arrow shot through the air and buried itself in the thing's forehead. When it did not fall, Merida followed with three more, and at last the thing went down. "What are you," she yelled. There was a flash, a ripple in the air just outside the circle, and four more creatures charged her. Arrow after arrow pounded into them, and now there were two swinging their axes at her. Merida leaped backwards, clocked one of them with her bow, and drew her sword. The one she had knocked back stumbled into the ripple in the air and disappeared, and she took advantage of the other's confusion to hack at its throat with all her might. There was a rattling sigh, and the undead thing's head clattered to the earth. Merida looked up, gasping, as a blue glow filled the air. "Oh, not you again!" The blue will o' the wisps swirled about her, then darted back and forth at a point above her head. Merida squinted and saw another ripple in the air just above the standing stones.

Fus! Ro! Dah!

A wave of force surged downwards, shook the standing stones, and threw her to the ground. More zombies appeared all around her, more than she could hope to fight. There was a roar from above that set her hair standing on end, and a voice boomed into the clearing.

"Foolish mortals! You cannot change your fate!"

Merida raised her bow and nocked an arrow. "Sure you can."

She fired an arrow straight through the ripple, and it and all the zombies vanished into thin air.

~~v~~

"So we just need to find these standing stones?"

Anna nodded. "Princess Merida wrote that the stones somehow led her to the door." She turned the page and went pale. Elsa tried to look over her shoulder, but Anna snatched the book away. "It's nothing."

Elsa fixed her with a look. Anna sighed. "Soon after she found the door, she was attacked by things that came out of thin air. She gingerly handed the codex to Elsa, who opened it to the page she had been reading. Elsa stared at the sketch of the undead monster from her nightmares, shut her eyes, and took a shaky breath. "I'm... I'm fine, Anna. We'll just have to be careful down there."

"I can feel your hearts pounding from here, children. Are you alright?" When Elsa took a moment too long to reply, he huffed. "Wah golt! Let us rest." He banked into a gentle downward spiral that ended over a meadow. Pointing his nose into the wind, he reared back so that his riders had to hold on to his spikes and descended slowly without flapping his wings. A foot above the grass, he tilted his wings and stepped onto the ground as if from a staircase, then leaned forward so Elsa and Anna could disembark.

While Anna flopped gratefully to the grass, Elsa showed Kaal the sketch. "I know these things. They were called draugr, and were the foot soldiers of the dragon cult. They were immortal and vicious. Once they were men and women, but the rituals of the priests of the Dragon Cult warped their souls and turned them into the undead things the princess fought. They retain all the skills in battle they wielded in life, and the strongest of them were very dangerous foes. Some even knew magic. The dragon priests were the worst of all. Once, they were just, but the ones in my homeland delved into dark magic and tyrannized the people. I should have seen it coming when they started hiding behind those cursed masks. But you have seen these creatures before, your majesty, and not in a book."

Elsa nodded. "Anna and I have been having terrible nightmares about them for some time."

"Beware such dreams, your majesty. Qostiid los tahrodiis. Prophecy is treacherous. Hard to see, the future is."

"Alright. And please, call me Elsa."

Anna stood up. "Still want to be thane, Kaal?"

"I would be honored, kiir."

A sword of ice flashed into existence in Elsa's hand. "Do not bow, KaalVurShaan. I name you thane of Arendelle in honor of your courage, wisdom, and friendship. May you be a friend to us, and all our heirs, until the ending of the world." She touched the sword to each of Kaal's cheeks, and the sword burst into snowflakes and mist. When the mist cleared, Kaal was wearing a perfectly fitted helmet of enchanted ice. "Stalhrim! You honor me, fahdonne ul. My dear friends." He huffed. "But you are too young to be burdened by ceremony and portentous dreams. Dance with me, children!" He scooped them up and was soon flying high above the forest. Elsa gasped as he arced upwards into a perfect barrel roll, and she marveled that they were upside down and did not fall upwards to the ground below. Anna shrieked with delight as Kaal looped and spun without once making them feel that they would fall off his back. The setting sun turned the sky a dozen shades of orange and purple and birds shout out of the trees as they skimmed the forests and weaved among the rolling hills. At one point, Kaal flew inches above a river, and Anna leaned over and splashed water onto her astonished lover. Then they were a hundred feet high again and Elsa was filling the air around them with perfect snowflakes that neither stung nor obscured their sight. Anna set off several small balls of fire that detonated above and below them like fireworks, and Elsa gave in to her joy and kissed Anna full on the lips.

"And now I sense that you wish to be alone. Where shall I set you down?" Elsa blushed furiously and Anna's face lit up when she recognized a landmark from Merida's sketches. "There! Crone's Tooth! I want to drink from the Fire Falls!"

"That is not far from the standing stones, yes? I will search for them while you rest. Nothing will harm you up there. Dovah dreh ni praan, I need no sleep! I will report to you come sunrise."

He set the grateful pair atop the crag and soared upwards, averting his eyes when he saw the queen reach for her paramour. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the wind brought him Anna's voice, singing a song from the codex.

Where dark woods hide secrets and mountains are fierce and bold,

Deep waters hold reflections of times lost long ago.

I will hear their every story, take hold of my own dream,

Be as strong as the seas are stormy, and proud as an eagle's scream!

I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky!

I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky !

~~v~~

Anna awoke to find Elsa gazing at her. She accepted a kiss and let the older woman brush her hair. They had not been intimate last night, in this sacred space, but Anna had shared the story of how only the bravest of the ancient kings had climbed here, and they had both drunk deep of the water of the Fire Falls. Elsa held her as they surveyed ancient DunBroch, and there was no need for words as the sun climbed into the sky.

There was a familiar rumble above them, and they scooted to the side of the rock as Kaal glided down silently on massive wings and perched on the edge. "Drem yol lok, kiirre."

Elsa placed a hand on his jaw. "Lok thu'um, fahdon ul."

"Good morning," Anna chirped, and Kaal smiled toothily and let them on his back. Soon they were soaring silently above the forests, and Anna let the wind play with her hair.

"There is a stone circle but a few leagues from here," said Kaal. "It is old. I sense strange magic about it, like yours, but not. Anna, you bear my thane weapon. Make ready with it." Anna pulled out the frying pan they had gotten from Corona. Elsa waved a hand, and their ice dresses became ice armor. They walked into the standing stones, and absolutely nothing happened.

After a few minutes, Anna shrugged. "Now what?" Elsa gazed at the stones. "They were a lot bigger in the sketches."

Anna pursed her lips. "No, the shape is the same, which means..." she pulled out her shovel. "We have a lot of digging to do."

Hours later, Anna and Elsa leaned exhausted against the stones. Elsa dripped meltwater onto her grateful lover's lips as Kaal scratched vainly at the earth with his claws. "This will take forever, Elsa!"

Indeed, only one of the stones had been uncovered, and only partially at that. There was a green flash as the sun set. Elsa leaned her head back and sat beside Anna, who had begun to snore. She smiled and let herself drift off beneath the soft blue glow of the moon...

Blue.

The moon didn't glow blue.

And all of a sudden, she was on her feet, ice crystals crackling about her fingers. Anna mumbled, opened, her eyes, and shot to her feet, hands aflame. In front of them stood a glowing blue sprite, smoky in the shadow of the standing stones. Kaal advanced on it from the side, and the sprite darted off into the forest. Anna ran after it, and Elsa chased her, crying, "wait, it might be a trap!"

"I will fly cover for you," Kaal rumbled, and launched himself into the air. Elsa hurried after Anna and did not dare look back.

Anna burst into a clearing to find a dozen of the blue sprites lined up in front of her. Elsa caught up with her a moment later. "These are the will o' the wisps from the Codex?"

Anna nodded. "Yup. I don't think they'll hurt us. Look!"

The line of sprites ended at the mouth of a cave.

There was a quiet thump as Kaal landed behind them. The dragon whispered to himself and waved his head back and forth in front of the cave mouth. "I sense nothing alive or moving in there. Will you go in?"

Elsa took the lead. "I guess we will."

"I will stand guard out here."

"Light my way, Anna."

They wandered into the cavern for nearly a hundred feet before they came upon the chamber. On each of the walls beside them were murals depicting an ancient king, tall and bearded, with his four sons kneeling before him.

At the end of the chamber was the door.

Anna and Elsa struggled for a few minutes to turn the wheels to match the symbols on their dragon claw, a wolf, a bear, and a dragon. Then Elsa took the claw inserted it into the lock, and twisted.

With a rumble of stone, the door sank into the floor, and there in front of them was the stone coffin from their nightmares.

Anna felt the room chill, but Elsa walked forward and picked up the tablet in front of the tomb. "Anna? It's in Gaelic." Anna stared at it. "No it's not."

~~v~~

"It is written in Dovah." Elsa and Anna stared at Kaal. "This is a dovahgolz, a dragonstone. These were placed on the tombs of the priests of the dragon cult."

"The king of ancient DunBroch was a dragon priest from your world? How did he come to be here?"

Kaal eyed the tablet and read it aloud.

"It is finished. Lord Alduin was defeated by the power of an Elder Scroll – the signs are unmistakable. But the what the scrolls have done they can undo, and after years on the run I managed to steal the one used by the Tongues to defeat Alduin. Like a fool I opened it and was cast into this place. There are no dragons here, and I dare not open the scroll again, for it told me that it would take my sight forever if I did. Now I am here, in this place with no dragons, and I had to confront my mistake, the mistake of all the Dragon Cult. Power is not equal to truth. It is only now, stripped of my power, that I have come to understand this.

"Now I am old, and have found that a man can rule a kingdom with no power but his will and the work of his hands, and that he need never bend knee to any dragon to be just and strong. I have no need of the immortality I lost when I renounced the Cult, for my four sons will surely rule well when I am gone. To the eldest I have entrusted the key to my tomb, for here are contained all of my spell books and lore.

"These books contain all my knowledge of magic. Yet in this world the spells are mere words, for though this place had its magic, it has all but faded and I have none left with which to power my spells. Yet the scroll told me many things as it cast me out of Mundus. Magic will someday return to this realm, and so these spell books will one day be of use. They are nearly complete, except for a slim tome on werebear transformations that was stolen by some hag. Without Hircine's guidance, the spell contained within would be uncontrolled, a plaything of the whims of fate. I pray that it does not cause any trouble for my descendants.

"The scroll told me that the return of magic would herald the end of the world. The dragons are at the heart of it, but no one will want to believe that such things even exist. When the truth finally dawns, it will dawn in fire. For Alduin the World-Eater will eventually find his way here and live up to his name. This world cannot endure his presence – reality will soon break and crumble and only a direct rebalancing of power from the Heart of the Worlds will keep it in one piece. But I do not despair, for when the scroll took my power, it reshaped it. I was once YolFoJun, the king of fire and frost, and this power, now held within the scroll, will become the Sword of Summer and Winter, to be wielded by my heirs in the battle to save this world I have come to love. They will come to discover that though there are many worlds, they share the same sky.

"As for the Elder Scroll itself, I take it with me into my tomb. If the Scroll wishes to be opened again, none may prevent it, but until that day comes it rests here with me."

Kaal looked at them. "I know what you're thinking."

Elsa looked him in the eyes. "We use the scroll to banish Alduin."

"Elsa, I would not do such a thing unless I had no other choice. My world was a much more dangerous one than yours, and the Kelle, the Elder Scrolls, were the most dangerous things in it. Every reader sees something different, even contradictory, and yet all of it is somehow true. And false. There is no certainty when it comes to Elder Scrolls, except that those who read them are usually struck blind."

"Kaal, Alduin's presence is tearing the world apart as we speak. You said it yourself: fate has no hold over me and Anna. We are the descendants of YolFoJun – it is our fate to do this!"

"Or die in the attempt. The scrolls are not prophecy. The only guarantee is that opening that scroll will do something completely beyond our power to anticipate."

Anna broke in. "Then we try to defeat Alduin without it, and use it only as a last resort."

Elsa nodded. "We need to open that tomb."

~~v~~

Kristoff brandished his sword. The zombie in front of him snarled, and he ducked just as one charged him from the side, arms flailing. He stepped aside and decapitated it with a swing that set the creature's head rolling across the cobblestones. Two more charged him, and though Kristoff had received no training in swordsmanship, it was child's play to deflect their clumsy strikes and defeat them. Kristoff grinned, and that was when the last one, taller than the rest and wearing a full face mask, hurled a fireball at him. He ducked to the side just in time, and as he got to his feet he saw it charging the gates of the wreckage of Arendelle Castle. There was a crash as Sven charged out of his ambush position and threw the thing back, and then he was between it and the gate. "Access to the palace is restricted this evening, please return tomorrow during normal visiting hours!" He twirled the sword in what he hoped looked like a badass gesture.

The masked zombie drew a wickedly sharp curving dagger and brandished it with much more finesse. He blinked, and it was right on top of him, its dagger plunging toward his heart. Knowing he had no chance to block in time, he swung his sword anyway, and the ensorcelled ice emitted a blast of flame that scorched the zombie and threw it back before its blow could land. Kristoff brandished the sword and bared his teeth.

"I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anna! You cannot pass!" He slammed the sword into the ground, and a wave of icicles raced toward the zombie.

Kristoff's smile faltered when most of them bounced off. "Go back to the shadow!" The zombie leveled its staff at him. "You! Shall not! Pass!"

A dozen crossbow bolts tore through the darkness and impaled the masked thing, which staggered back and disappeared without a sound. Kristoff, Sven, and the ice-men guarding the castle watched the area for some time after, but nothing happened.

~~v~~

Elsa and Anna stood in front of the sarcophagus. The tomes of knowledge had been carefully packed. Now all that was left was to retrieve the scroll. Elsa ran a hand along the iron lid of the sarcophagus and shuddered despite herself. There were two depressions in front, and in between was the holder for the dragonstone. Elsa replaced it, and noted that the stone had a carving of a snowflake to the right and a flame to the left. Wordlessly, Anna reached out and set a magical flame burning in the receptacle. Elsa paused.

"Forgive me, forefather." She took a deep breath and sent a wave of frost into the other depression. There was a metallic click as the lid of the sarcophagus unlocked, and it slid to the ground with a metallic clang that was deafening in the confines of the barrow. Anna gasped and averted her eyes.

Within the sarcophagus, the old king's skeleton clutched the Elder Scroll.

With shaking hands, Elsa pried the scroll out of the king's hands as gently as she could. When she had freed it, she cried out as a will o' the wisp encircled her and Anna and dove into the coffin. There was a blue flash, and when the two of them opened their eyes, the sarcophagus was sealed once more.

~~v~~

They were silent on the flight back to Arendelle, and Elsa bent under the weight of the scroll on her back. Kaal skimmed low over the water, and presently Anna spoke.

"You're worried."

Elsa could only nod.

"Elsa, talk to me."

"We went through all this and all we got was a scroll that allegedly contains a sword that may or may not be strong enough to stop Alduin. Opening the scroll to get at it will blind whoever does so, and it has to be one of us because we're YolFoJun's heirs. It's a sword of "summer and winter," so it doesn't have any powers we don't already have. So despite everything we've done, we're back to square one against Alduin, and to top it all off he's killing the world just by existing. Also, our souls are apparently marked for death."

"Elsa, I love you, but why do you have to be so negative? We've confirmed that our rule is legitimate and that our powers won't doom everybody. Our ancestor turned out to be a good guy! We flippin' saved Corona! And the mark on our souls means we can change our fate, not that we'll die!"

"She is right, child," Kaal rumbled. "You are doom-driven, not doomed. Magic is returning. I can feel it. The two of you are the heralds of a new era for this world, and there is much reason to hope."

"I want to believe you. I really do. But it's going to be a very short new era if Alduin destroys the world. Kaal, what is he? How could he be so powerful?"

"Alduin, like all the dovah, are... fragments, shadows, of Akatosh, in my world, the aedric god of time. Alduin was long considered the greatest of his creations. In time, all things come to an end, and Alduin's ordained role was to bring about the end of the world, paving the way for... whatever comes next. His downfall came when he grew proud and sought to use his power for conquest, instead of for his rightful role as a servant of Father Akatosh."

Anna's eyes were wide. "Huh, I guess he's more than just a really strong fire-breathing lizard."

Elsa voice was quiet. "You're telling me that all this time we've been fighting an eschatological embodiment?"

"Scatological what?"Anna scratched her head.

Kaal rumbled. "We are fighting a god, yes. One who does not belong to this world, but whose specific dominion is the destruction of worlds."

Anna whistled. "I'm not too sure the Power of Love is going to cut it with this one."

Elsa was silent for a while, and then she shuddered, and Anna realized to her shock that she was laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's alright, everything is alright."

"Great! So you have a plan! What'll we do? Oh Elsa, I knew you'd come up with something!"

Elsa leaned over and kissed her. Anna blushed and Kaal shifted uncomfortably underneath them.

"Um... so what do we do?"

"This. Just this, Anna. We go home and we love each other. Teach the people magic. Build snowmen." She held Anna and buried her face in her hair.

"Er... so this is a plan right? Are we going to use all that love to make a magical love-beam that will zap Alduin?"

Elsa chuckled and leaned against her, shaking her head, and there was a sinking feeling in Anna's stomach. "Elsa, what is your plan to stop Alduin?"

"Plan? There is no plan. You don't fight gods, Anna, you just make the most of the time and space they give you. So that's what we're going to do. We will use well the days. We'll love each other, we'll make every day count! We'll do everything together and go everywhere together, and when the end comes, what matters is that we've been together. That's all that matters. And because I haven't said it enough," she leaned over and cupped her hand around Anna's ear so that Kaal couldn't hear, "I love you."

Anna stared in shock at Elsa. "What?"

"We're going to do what people have done since the first people were around, Anna. The fact that we're among the last doesn't make that less valuable."

"Elsa... Elsa look at me, that's not good enough!" She cupped Elsa's head in her hands. "We have to believe that there's a future, and one worth fighting for. I know I sound like an old fairy tale, but Elsa, a few months of snowmen and happiness isn't good enough! I want to have your baby, Elsa!"

Kaal nearly crashed. "Should I be here for this conversation?"

Anna ignored him. "Elsa, I know this world's given you a lot of pain, but it's worth fighting for! We are going to bring children into this world, and they deserve to have long, long lives! That's what we're fighting for! We can't just give up, I won't let you give up! Not on this! I want a long and boring life with you, short and exciting isn't good enough! Please, Elsa please, don't give up, I would fight all of the gods at once for this, please, tell me you will too..."

Elsa threw her arms around Anna and cried like a child. "Yes. Yes I will..."

~~v~~

After a long time, Elsa spoke. "Um, Anna, I don't know how much Mom and Dad told you, but in order to make a baby, a man kinda has to be involved..."

Anna laughed. "We've done so many impossible things already, Elsa, that somehow, I don't think we'll have any problems there."

They sailed on through the night.

~~v~~

Dawn was breaking as they arrived. Kaal set them down gently in the castle courtyard, and Anna turned to him as Kristoff rushed over to them. "Kaal, about what we said..."

"The air currents were quite strong at such low altitude, I'm afraid they rendered me practically deaf for that part of the flight. Ground effect and laminar flow, you see."

She ran a hand over his nose. "Thank you."

Kristoff ran up to them, and from the look on his face it was clear the news was bad.

~~v~~

"We're at war." Kristoff stared into his hot chocolate. "No one wants to admit it, but Arendelle is under attack. Elsa, Anna, there are zombies roaming the streets at night! They started digging up corpses from the cemetery, but now we're seeing active attempts to kidnap people. Some have succeeded. We know where they come from. They're popping right out of the bay. They come out of the water, take a body, living or dead, and walk right back in where we can't follow."

Elsa swallowed. "They are draugr, the undead servants of Alduin."

"Elsa, I think they came from the ships you- that we sank during the refugee crisis."

Anna watched the queen out of the corner of her eye. Elsa placed a palm against her forehead. "So I did kill a lot of people."

"Not that many. There were only a handful of these draugr things at first. The problem is that they're trying to turn more of us into them. And there was a masked one, more powerful than the others, that tried to attack the palace. It may have been going after you. It had a staff of fireballs and was skilled with a sword. Worse, while it was vulnerable to fire, ice hardly affected it at all."

Kaal stepped forward. "I can see and fight underwater. It will be a simple matter to clear the bay. If I patrol the area, they will have no staging point for their attacks and no place to go."

Elsa nodded. "Make it so. At least we know why the dragons were kidnapping people in Corona rather than killing them. Alduin wanted to turn them into draugr."

There was a brief rush of air as Kaal hopped over the wall, and a surprisingly small splash as he dove into the water.

Kristoff turned to the pair. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"It's a long story," Anna said.

Behind them, there was a great bubbling of steam in the bay as Kaal incinerated the draugr hiding below.

~~v~~

They sat on a makeshift bench in the ruined courtyard, relaxing under a light snowfall. Anna fought the urge to burrow into Elsa's arms and spoke to Kaal. "So, you're a fragment of a god, right?"

"Hrrrmm, an oversimplification, but it is so."

"Got any godlike powers that might help against Alduin?"

"Like all dovah, I have the power of the thu'um, the Voice. Rotmulaag – words of power. With them one can reshape reality itself. While I specialize in using them to breathe fire, one can do many things with the Words. And before you ask, yes, they can be taught."

Anna perked up, but Kaal shook his head.

"I could unleash my most powerful flame against Alduin a dozen times and and hardly slow him down, and his Voice is stronger than mine. It was said of his Voice that it could even raise the dead – the rise of the dragons is proof that this was more than just legend."

"Oh. Anything in the spellbooks?"

Elsa shook her head. "There are lots of spells that I suppose we could eventually learn, but none of them are stronger than the powers we already have. All we have is the Elder Scroll."

Kaal rumbled. "I would rather find other ways to empower you. You deserve better than to be playthings of fate. The Thu'um may not give you the power to defeat Alduin, but there are other benefits to its study."

"Such as?"

"Knowing a Word of Power is to take its meaning into yourself. As you contemplate its meaning, you will become closer to it as it fills your inner self. It may be that learning the Words of ice and snow will make your own inner magic more powerful. Shall I teach you, snow queen? Your breath shall be winter, your shout, a blizzard."

Elsa suddenly thought of Arendelle covered in endless winter, of Anna becoming one with the ice. She shivered. Looked at Anna. Shook her head. "I favor fire."

Anna spoke. "That makes two of us."

~~v~~

Mountains were traditional, Kaal had said, and so Anna found herself sitting at the very peak of North Mountain. Elsa's ice castle sparkled beneath them, and despite sitting on the snow, she was warm in the rays of the sun.

She fidgeted.

A cloud passed over Arendelle, and she wondered how they could possibly defend it if Alduin came again. Would they ever defeat him? She hoped so. It would be good to build snowmen and not worry about anything. She thought of Elsa as a mother, and the thought sent a thrill of warmth through her. What would they name her? Or him? Would their kid have powers? And how would they-

Kaal cuffed her, gently, with one of his claws, nearly knocking her over. "Your mind is wandering, princess."

"Okay, okay, 'yol,' I've got it."

"There is more to it than just thinking about the word. You must focus your mind." He turned to Elsa, who looked up with a pained expression. "You are not focused either."

~~v~~

Hours passed. Anna could bear it no longer. She shot to her feet, paced in agitation for a few moments, and stood pouting beside Elsa. To her surprise, Kaal did not rebuke her. "Rest, child. Surely you did not think that you could learn this in one day?"

Elsa suddenly gasped, threw herself halfway to her feet, and collapsed into the snow. Anna was beside her instantly, and held the shaking queen in her arms. Kaal examined her. "Yes, you saw it, did you not?"

Elsa fought to bring her breathing under control. "I-I couldn't... I tried to hide from it, but there was nothing between me... and the wheel of fire!"

"Hrrrmm. Elsa, you must take the fire into yourself. It is counter to your purpose to try and hide from it."

Anna whispered into her ear. "Feel, don't conceal. Remember?"

Kaal rumbled. "Much fear I sense in you. Faas fo. Fear freezes. I think you know this. You cannot be fiery if you are afraid. Yet fire demands focus." He turned to Elsa. "You are fearful," he turned to Anna, "And you are restless. Your minds are occupied, and so there is no room in them for fire. You must clear your minds."

Anna glared at him. "We're trying, Kaal!"

"Do or do not. There is no try. If you cannot clear all thoughts from your minds, then try to clear all but one. Is there one thing in your life that, once it enters your thoughts, pushes all other things out?"

Elsa and Anna looked at each other.

~~v~~

Elsa and Anna had taken no food with them to North Mountain, so after two days, a worried Kristoff took Sven and made his way to the Ice Castle. Finding no one there, he stomped about worriedly until he saw a glow at the summit. When he reached it after nearly an hour of climbing, he could only stare.

Elsa and Anna reclined against the a snowdrift, face to face in each others arms. Anna's breath ghosted over Elsa's cheeks, and their chests rose and fell in unison.

Both were aureoled in flame.

Beside him, Kaal rose out of the snow. "They are making good progress." Kristoff sat down and pulled out a carrot to chew on. "It looks like they are."

~~v~~

Anna set a small fire burning beneath Kristoff's tea kettle as Elsa spread the food he'd brought on a table she had raised from the ice in the main hall. After Kaal had quietly drawn them from their meditation, Elsa had made a stairway to the summit so they could get down to the castle without having to fly or climb. "Thanks, Kristoff," Anna said. Kaal loomed above them as he ducked his head to fit in the hall.

"I've never seen anything like that," Kristoff said. "You made a fire that didn't hurt you or even melt the snow."

Anna nodded. "It's sort of like the way Elsa can make ice dresses for me that never feel cold. We're connected, or something. Our powers can't hurt each other."

Kaal rumbled. "I have seen nothing like it, even in my world. It will likely take you years to learn every other Word of Power, but the connection between you allowed you to master fire almost immediately."

Kristoff scratched his head. "Shouldn't the same thing be true of ice?"

"I spent too long afraid of and hating my powers," Elsa said. "It will take a lot more meditation before I can be at ease with the Words of ice, no matter how natural my own powers feel to me now."

"We've known for a while that loves gives us more control over our powers," Anna said. "It makes sense that the control would be particularly fine with each other."

Kaal tilted his head, in the manner of a curious bird, and Anna smiled. "This connection between you, which makes fire so easy to grasp in both your souls, is this love?"

Elsa and Anna blushed, and Kristoff spoke. "Yes. Love ignites."

~~v~~

Kaal had much to think about as he soared towards the Southern Isles. The plan was simple. He would scout the area, discern the disposition of Alduin's forces, and locate his lair. Then he would return, make his report, and take Elsa and Anna on a high speed midnight raid. They would speed past the defenses and open the scroll in front of Alduin before anyone could react, and fly off as Alduin was banished. Without him the rest of the forces of the Southern Isles could be dispatched at their leisure.

That was the plan, anyway. Kaal took one look at the Southern Isles – or the area where they used to be – wheeled about, and flew back to Arendelle as if all the demons of hell were after him.

~~v~~

"They're gone!"

Elsa and Anna looked up as Kaal nearly crash landed into the castle courtyard. Anna ran to him. "Kaal, what's wrong?"

"The Southern Isles are gone!" Elsa's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, 'gone'?"

"There is a vaaz wuld lein, a hole in reality, where the Southern Isles used to be!"

"What?"

"Alduin is destroying the world. There is a break in the fabric of time and space a hundred miles wide, and it's spreading! It will be here soon. It was full of stars."

Anna turned to Elsa. "We need to take Alduin down."

"We don't even know where he is!"

"We can make him come to us," Kaal growled. "We must taunt him. Break his armies. Offend his pride. He cannot abide defiance."

Elsa paced. "We don't even know if he even has armies!"

Kristoff burst through the gates. "There's a ship heading for Arendelle! The lookouts say there's an army on board!"

Dragon, ice queen, and fire princess stared at each other. There was a moment of utter silence, and then Elsa burst into laughter. When Anna and Kaal joined in, Kristoff threw up his hands in despair. "This is what I get for meddling in the affairs of wizards!"

~~v~~

Elsa and Anna strode fully armored towards the ship, which was locked in drift ice half a mile from the shore. "Elsa, that ship looks familiar..."

The queen adjusted the Elder Scroll strapped to her back and nodded grimly. "It's the one we gave to Admiral Coleridge and the refugees." Draugr began to stream from the ship, Coleridge among them, and Elsa winced. "Those poor people. I should have done something..."

"They would be safe now if they had trusted you. Let it go."

Elsa nodded, and without waiting for a confrontation, she fired a wave of icy spears at the draugr. The spears soared above their heads and detonated, spraying razor sharp icicles that tore them apart. With a deafening crack, the ship crumpled but did not sink, and the draugr who emerged froze in place and shattered when they toppled to the ice.

All but one.

"Hello, Elsa," said Hans.

~~v~~

Elsa fired icy spears one after the other at Hans. His mask glowed and they shattered harmlessly against him. He raised his staff and launched a fireball, but it was blown off course by an icy wind. "It seems we are evenly matched." He charged forward, batted aside the icy blade Elsa brandished with his dagger, and knocked her to the ground. "Or not. Any last words, witch? We shall see how arrogant you are when you watch your beloved sister die!"

Yol!

Hans screamed as the snow queen breathed fire at him. Roaring, he raised his staff and loosed a fireball at Anna.

She raised a hand, and the fireball stopped in midair, then raced back and exploded in Hans' face. Mask and dagger went flying through the air. "Your power is broken, Hans!" She clenched her fist, and the staff exploded. Hans roared and fell to his knees. "Fire! How?"

Anna smirked. "You'll find I'm full of surprises. Yol!"

Her shout was nearly drowned out by a tremendous shattering crash as Kaal blasted through the ice.

Su! Grah! Dun!

Accelerating faster than should have been possible, Kaal slid along the ice on his belly, leaped to his feet, and picked the screaming Hans up in his jaws. His head turned into a gray blur as he shook Hans back and forth, and the sound of bones shattering echoed across the water as Kaal flung Hans downwards into the ice with a force that left him lying broken in an impact crater three feet deep. Anna peered into the crater and saw the blue light fading from Hans' eyes. "Such a waste. You could have been gorgeous, you know."

Hans raised a hand and pointed. "You'll find I'm full of surprises." His hand fell to the ice and he died without further drama.

Anna looked up to see Elsa frozen in horror. A second ship loomed out of the mist and moved silently toward them, and Anna felt the fire within her dim as she recognized the broken hulk of the Pride of Arendelle. Two figures emerged from within, and without having to look, Anna knew who they were.

~~v~~

Kaal had only a moment to wonder why his friends had hesitated when a shadow fell over him. He let out a roar as he was engulfed in flame, and he spun to see the biggest dragon he had ever encountered bearing down on him. Jaws the size of his entire body clamped down, and he rolled to the side and took off just in time.

It. Was. Huge.

He was unfocused. He needed time to think.

Tiid! Klo! Ul!

Ah. Better.

As time slowed to a crawl, Kaal regarded his enemy. This was the one the Dragon Manual had called the Red Death, a Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus with an enormous tail club, no blind spots and an unlimited reserve of flame.

Time snapped back to its normal pace, and the Red Death arced about in pursuit of him. Kaal rose upward and was shocked to see the thing climbing faster than him, its jaws just feet from his tail. He snap rolled out of pure reflex and it was only when he saw the huge clubbed tail whipping up at him that he realized his mistake. With no options left, he shouted.

Fus!

A wave of force issued from his mouth, weak, too weak, and just barely deflected the club, which bounced off his icy helmet with a jarring thud. He had overextended himself. He needed time to recover his voice. Diving as fast as he dared, Kaal leveled off inches above the ice. Blood flowed from under his helmet. The Red Death wheeled about to chase him, but it was too big to turn quickly, and Kaal saw his chance. He pulled up into a half-loop and flew upside down at the monster. It opened its maw, and behind its many hundreds of teeth, Kaal saw a flow of green fire-gas.

Yol!

A blast of fire shot into the Red Death's mouth and ignited the gas. Kaal arced into the water as the dragon exploded into a fireball half a mile wide. The blast knocked down trees, flattened every last house on the coastline, and set off a wave that momentarily flooded Arendelle to a depth of ten feet. A network of cracks spread across Arendelle Castle's walls, and Kristoff and the ice-men barely escaped before the towers and keep of the castle came crashing down.

Thirty feet beneath the waves, the shock hammered through the water and struck Kaal. Weakened by overuse of his voice and the pain from the blow to his head, Kaal sank senseless into the depths.

~~v~~

As the castle crumbled, the king of Arendelle raised a rotting eyebrow. "I had hoped that the castle would still be standing when I returned, but apparently even that was too much to ask."

Elsa couldn't breathe. "Papa?"

The king snarled. "How dare you call me that? Look at you, standing here in the light of day! You couldn't be bothered to conceal it? Look what you've done!" There was another crash as the castle crumbled further. "Papa, please!"

Anna took a step back as her mother advanced on her. "Y-you're not real. You're dead!"

"Like these people you killed?" The queen waved a hand at the fallen draugr around them, and Anna recognized the refugees who had fled Arendelle. How many more are dead at the bottom of this bay because of you?" Anna gasped.

"You thought I wouldn't know? They told me everything, you wretch! How you were responsible for atrocity and hid behind your sister's skirts when you couldn't take responsibility! And that's not the only thing you've done with Elsa's skirts, is it? Poor, sweet Anna, always ministering to her sister's needs. To her every need!" She spat onto the ice.

"But I suppose it's understandable, since you were never more than just the spare!"

~~v~~

Elsa sank to her knees. The king advanced on her, sword drawn. "You betrayed my people. You turned my kingdom into a charnel house. Worst of all, you defiled my daughter!" He raised his sword. "You are a monster and deserve to die!" The sword came flashing down...

… and bounced with a metallic clang off the Elder Scroll.

Anna wheeled about and charged her father as he pulled back for a killing blow, and with a surge of deja vu she stood between her father and her stricken paramour.

But this time was different.

Yol!

~~v~~

Kaal clawed his way onto the ice and crawled toward Elsa and Anna, who sobbed in each others' arms. There was a shimmer behind them and Kaal recognized the fading of some kind of illusion spell. Two refugee draugr smoldered beside the distraught couple, and Kaal collapsed beside them. Blood dripped onto the ice as a shadow fell and a deafening roar signaled to all that Alduin had returned.

The trio struggled to their feet. Alduin eyed them with contempt and took notice of his fallen priest. "So you have laid low my servant. No matter. Slen Tiid Vo!" There was a flash of light, and Hans of the Southern Isles was whole again. He picked up his fallen dagger and replaced his mask. Kaal struggled to walk and fell down, and Elsa and Anna placed themselves between him and Alduin.

Alduin laughed. "So, you still rely on little girls to do your fighting for you. Nivahriin dovah! You are a disgrace."

Kaal looked up. "I'm not the one who betrayed father Akatosh. Paak!"

"You are one to talk of shame, you who cast aside your very name! You think the past is in the past, but I know your true name, SuGrahToor, and your will is mine! Gol! Hah! Dov!"

Kaal roared and beat his head against the ice. "Ru, kiirre! Run!" A light went out of his eyes, and he turned and breathed flame at his friends. It punched straight through the wall of ice Elsa threw up. Anna screamed and sent her mightiest flame against it, and the two streams of fire crashed and roiled against each other. Anna staggered, and Elsa pulled her aside just as her flame gave out. The dragonfire hurled them both to the rapidly melting ice, and Elsa cradled an exhausted Anna as Hans floated up and sat on Kaal's back. "Feast on their flesh."

Elsa ran a hand through her lover's hair. "Anna, Anna look at me." Anna's eyes fluttered open, and Elsa drank them in for just a moment.

She whipped out the Elder Scroll, opened it, and was struck instantly blind.

~~v~~

Alduin's eyes widened as he saw Elsa open the scroll. "Niid! Stop!" Roaring, he whipped around just in time to avoid the sudden appearance of a shimmering distortion in the air. "So that was your plan! You cannot use the same trick on me twice!" Lightning flashed, and the sky went black. "Fools! Doubly fools! You have meddled with the primal forces of the universe, and now the destruction of this world is assured!"

Elsa felt around and took Anna's hand. Anna squeezed, and all of a sudden, there was a sword in their hands and Anna knew exactly what to do.

"Sword of truth, fly swift and sure, that evil die and good endure!" The Sword of Summer and Winter flashed blue and gold as it soared gloriously toward the heart of the World-Eater.

And bounced off.

Mocking laughter filled Anna's ears as Hans dismounted and twirled his dagger. More shimmers appeared in the air and some of the draugr who had clambered out of the ship disappeared into them. One emerged from a shimmer, rubbing its head, and without realizing it Anna had the sword in hand again. Hans panicked and swung, but her sword was longer than his dagger, and he screamed as he was hurled into a time wound and disappeared.

Fus! Ro! Dah!

Enormous cracks appeared in the ice as Elsa and Anna were thrown in opposite directions. The Elder Scroll was ripped out of Elsa's hands and disappeared into a time wound. Above them, Alduin roared triumphantly.

"Foolish mortals! You cannot change your fate!"

Out of nowhere, a woman's voice spoke in a strange accent. "Sure you can."

Out of nowhere, an arrow streaked though the air and embedded itself in Alduin's throat.

Alduin let out a roar that shattered the ice beneath him. "SuGrahToor! Kill them!"

The gray dragon shook his head and rumbled. "My name is KaalVurShaan. Champion! Hope! Inspire! Zu'u ni zaamiil! I! Am not! Your! Slave!" With a roar, Kaal leaped into the air and crashed bodily into Alduin, who fell out of the air, down, down, into a time wound. "You are too late! I have crushed this world and it shall surely die!"

There was a flash, and Alduin World-Eater was gone from the realm.

Kaal tumbled onto the ice. Anna rushed over to Elsa and was surprised when her lover reached out confidently and took her hand. "You can see me?"

~~v~~

The world was dark, and Anna was the only bright thing in it. She was a being of golden flame, and the flame of her hair was red and the flame of her eyes was blue.

~~v~~

"Yes. I see you. Just you. Oh, Anna, you're beautiful."

The tear in space-time was on the horizon now, and the sea and sky whipped themselves into a frenzy as they were sucked into it. Night without stars descended and Kaal howled in terror as the sky itself crumbled.

Anna clung to Elsa, who kissed her with tears in her sightless eyes. "I'm glad you're here with me."

Anna nodded. "Do you think they have snow in the afterlife?"

"Build a snowman with me, Anna."

There was a flash of light, and they were gone.

Amidst the wreckage of Arendelle Castle, Olaf hugged Sven warmly. Kristoff watched as his sword flamed out and shattered, and he sank to his knees and wept as the kingdom swept into the void.

~~v~~

There was darkness, but there was also fire. Anna gasped as the flame resolved itself into a fiery outline of Elsa. It reached out to her, and Elsa's touch was cool against her skin. "Anna?"

Anna opened her eyes and saw her beloved holding her. She closed them and saw a corona of flame holding her. It pulsed with her lover's heartbeat. She opened her eyes again and kissed Elsa. "I can see you too. Even with my eyes closed."

"Love ignites. Where are we?"

There was a familiar rumble. "You are on my back, children. But where we fly, I do not know."

Kaal flew through a shining expanse of shimmering stars. Enormous nebula merged with the mist they soared through, and every time they passed through a cloud the stars looked different on the other side.

Anna clutched Elsa's hand. "Are we dead, Kaal?"

"I do not think so. This feels familiar somehow... the way it did when I was cast into your realm. It may be that we fly now in the space between the worlds."

Elsa gasped. "Then from here, we may be able to reach the Heart of the Worlds! It's just like YolFoJun's prophecy! I understand it now, after reading the scroll. 'There are many worlds, but they share the same sky!' We have to find a way to get to the Heart of the Worlds. Once we're there, we can use the Sword of Summer and Winter, restore the balance, and save our world."

Anna waved her hand, and the Sword appeared in it.

"Is that why it's shaped like a giant key?

To Be Continued

Afterword

And so we come to the end of the longest fan fiction I have ever written. It's been a fun ride, all the way from the beginning, when I translated "Let it Go" into dovah. In my dreams, I hear it being sung by a full choir in the style of the Song of the Dragonborn, but it will remain a dream unless some musician takes pity on me and arranges the song. Dovah is a functional constructed language with a large vocabulary, and so the difficulty was not translating the song – it was making it rhyme in both languages. English presented its own set of difficulties this time around as well; I had gotten used to referring to Elsa and Anna as sisters, but have shied away from using the term in this story because it just doesn't cover all the facets of their relationship anymore.

With stylistic considerations and character psychoanalysis dealt with in my previous afterword, there remains the task of listing my inspirations. Kaal hanging out in a gigantic pile of gold and trolling Anna is inspired, of course, by Smaug the Golden of The Hobbit, because if you're going to pirate famous fictional images, you should pirate the very best ones. For all my attempts to make him unique, Kaal seems to revel in the traditional draconic vices: mountains, gold, and princesses. Elsa sacrificing her dowry is inspired by "Frozen: The Snow Queen" by Halm Vendrella, the first Frozen fan fic I ever read and one of the best I've encountered.

Kaal has a habit of referring to Elsa and Anna as "sweet child" when he feels they are being naïve. This is inspired by the gloved redheaded girl in Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman, a favorite of mine.

This is not an MMORPG – the characters' powers are not determined by their equipment, so their kit is minimalist. Fans of Disney Infinity, however, will notice that the gear Anna packs includes her basic tools and weapons from that game.

I had immense fun writing the scenes in Corona. I was surprised that my story, so serious at times, acquired a nearly manic quality during the scenes there. I wondered at this, and then realized that of course it would be manic, Rapunzel and her awesome supporting cast are there. She's fun to play with, with her spunk and anachronistic sensibilities and creative misuse of kitchen implements.

I loved how Rapunzel's parents brought audiences to tears without saying a word. They are those rarest of creatures in fiction, good parents who actually survive. I used them as sources of wisdom and inspiration, understated as always. Their stabilizing effect on Rapunzel and Corona stands in stark contrast to how the sisters and especially Elsa are troubled by the fragmented, conflicted legacy of their parents, who left them lonely, unsupported, and in possession of potentially world-breaking mysteries. The nightmares are used as a foreshadowing of the conflict Elsa goes through, where Anna's inner and literal fire helps her to leave the past in the past and fight for a future.

Once again, Tolkien is all over this fic, from Kristoff pulling a Gandalf on Hans and meddling in the affairs of wizards, Kaal taking a page from Shadowfax, and Anna breaking Hans' staff. That last scene was particularly delicious to write because to a Literature teacher like myself, there is an obvious symbolic castration at work that fits thematically with Anna's rage at Hans and her dominion over fire. On a deeper level, Tolkien's theme of despair as a major sin is very much at work. Elsa despairs, but finds a reason to fight. Hans just goes along with omnicidal maniac because revenge is all he has left.

Another key theme is borrowed from Brave: You can indeed change your fate. I tied this to the story by making Elsa and Anna like the Dragonborn of Skyrim – if they were to read Skyrim's Book of Fate, they too would find the pages blank. Merida and Hiccup lived long before the 19th century setting of Tangled and Frozen, but through the Dragon Manual and Merida's enlightened understanding of fate, they manage to make an impact on the story.

Incidentally, it was fun to tie Brave's bear magic into the story of YolFoJun. I was inspired in his characterization by the picture of the Ancient King on Disney Wiki – in which he holds an object that looks remarkably like an Elder Scroll.

Kaal is slowly developing as a character. I wanted him to be more than just a hypercompetent Diomedes/Legolas archetype. He has put aside the lure of power in favor of humbling himself. He serves girls immensely younger than he is, bows before a mortal king, and willingly accepts riders, something unthinkable to the dovah of Skyrim. His interaction with Rapunzel is telling. By naming her battle-sister, he is implicitly acknowledging her as an equal. Like Gimli in the Lord of the Rings, he is not ashamed to devote himself to something he sees as good and beautiful. In the process, he succeeds where Fafnir, Beowulf's Bane, Smaug, and Alduin all failed. He has gold, adulation, a unique magical artifact, a mountain, and ready access to princesses. By ceasing to grasp at power, he has gained and kept what the powerful could gain but never keep, and has a shot at learning the ultimate magic of love besides. He has conquered his past so thoroughly that Alduin has to resort to invoking his true name, "Air Battle Inferno," and a Bend Will shout to hold him in thrall, and ultimately, Kaal's decision to be a champion of mortals wins out.

Love is Anna's central theme, and marks her, to my delight, as the protagonist of this work. It is the goodness of her heart that propels the story, more than Kaal's power or Elsa's sense of responsibility. In "Those Who Favor Fire," Anna learned that love ignites. Here, we learn that it conveys a certain wisdom, and while she retains quite a bit of her ditziness, Anna's immense, all-consuming devotion to Elsa allows her to sidestep the misunderstandings and hurdles that plague so many fictional characters. It's not just love, though. We see her growing up a little. In a break from many other fan fics, it is Anna who keeps her head when Elsa gets intoxicated, Anna who succeeds at library research, and Anna who acts as team strategist in the Battle of Corona. One of my themes is that a character who is deeply in love with something or someone becomes empowered in all areas of life. This is not to say that Elsa's love is somehow lesser than Anna's – she sacrifices her sight without a second thought, for example – but Anna's love is untainted by despair and long suffering. Elsa, who is intimate with both, will not heal from either quickly, because that is not how human beings work, but we see that Anna's love consistently allows her the nobility she would have otherwise lost under the rules of Tolkien's moral vision.

Another sword gets thrown in this fic. In a twist, it doesn't work. This is because the sword's role in the prophecy is to save the world, but the scroll never said anything about it stopping Alduin. Its role as a blade is secondary, as it is primarily a key.

Kingdom Hearts fans will no doubt know what's coming next. The Heart of the Worlds is indeed none other than Kingdom Hearts, and the Sword of Summer and Winter is a keyblade. With so much metaphysical and narrative space to roam, where this fic will go from here is still a mystery to me. But I won't stop writing until we get there.