Deep shadows enveloped the barren land as Earth's sky choked under the acrid smoke polluting the air. The whole of London echoed devastation and despair. Where once stood tall and proud architecture, only rubble now covered the greater part of the city. At its heart, where the last few structures yet stood, gathered the remaining forces of the galaxy to take their last stand against the Reapers on the human homeworld.

Commander Elsa stood on the very precipice of a wrecked office building, gazing out at the sole source of light in the desolated world – the Conduit. A beam of light stretching from the maimed, ruined planet to the Citadel, or what was left of it. Its unnatural light cast long shadows and illuminated everything it touched in a sickly pale glow. The Conduit was their last, desperate hope. If they failed here, the whole galaxy would fall under the Reapers' might.

But reaching the beam would not be easy. Several Reapers, including Harbinger himself, stood vigil over it. Any ground or air units that approached within a few hundred metres were shot down and destroyed. Countless lives had already been lost and the officials were unwilling to risk more. Getting to the beam would be impossible, almost suicide. That's why she had been ordered to the frontlines.

If anyone could accomplish such a feat, it was Elsa.

Elsa turned away from the view to face the empty, decimated room, clutching at her left arm in a vice grip. The pliant, dark fabric gave under her touch as she worried it between her fingers. Her superiors valued her for her skill, her gift. Elsa did not have biotics, nor even extraordinary tech knowledge or anything that would be useful in conventional combat. Instead, she possessed remarkable yet deadly abilities of ice and snow that earned her the title of 'Snow Queen'.

Since her birth, specialists and researchers had been baffled by her powers and the whole scientific world exploded overnight. Some theorised a unique exposure to element zero, a mutation of an originally biotic gene or something other. But whatever it was, it didn't matter to Elsa. She had been born as she was, and nothing could change that. Instead, she had chosen to utilise her unusual abilities for the good of others and joined the Alliance. Now here she was, standing at the brink of it all while the whole galaxy looked to her as their saviour.

The weight of billions on her shoulders felt tremendous, and Elsa found it difficult to breathe. Her light-coloured braid tickled her pale cheek as she sank to her knees and leaned over the scuffed floor, free hand pressing down on her chest. Her heart felt like a steel wire coiling tighter and tighter around it, constricting her. The pain was palpable, almost real, like a live blade twisting in her heart. A gasp escaped her, then a sob. Before she could stop herself, Elsa felt tears pooling around her bright blue eyes that she and her sister used to share.

Here, Elsa was alone with nobody to comfort nor judge her. Here, she was alone with the fate of an entire galaxy in her small, human hands. Here, alone, her heart felt the full weight of true despair and helplessness as they tore her soul asunder.

And there, alone in the deserted and crumbly remnants of a forgotten building, Elsa the Snow Queen allowed herself to be human for the final time and cried.

A/N: All I can say is, this crossover wasn't my idea. xD It actually came from the Afterlife forums, surprise surprise. I initially wanted to do something cracky and humourous (or my attempt at it at any rate) but it started taking a more serious direction instead so I went with it.

There's still more to the story, but I felt that I reached a nice ending point so I stopped there. Will probably wrap this up in another short chapter. Hope you enjoyed! :D

- Kasumi