Revelations

When Elsa heard of Thorin, she imagined a stunning city with castles and walls. She was disappointed.

They emerged on the other side all dizzy and nauseous. "Don't worry," Steelheart reassured her, "People who go through these portals usually get sick for a few days."

The portal had transported them to one of the mountains overlooking Thorin. Elsa was hoping for at least some sort of camp or structure. Instead the only thing she could make out was all the rubble that lay around the valley. Rocks and shattered pillars littered the landscape. According to Horatio, the entire city was burned down in one whole day by the Darkseiders' blue fire. Barely 40 Summoners escaped out of the entire population. Steelheart's group fled into a secret passage deep in the Northern side of the city. He was right. As far as she could tell, the city was razed.

Lilia led the Summoners through the ruins towards the other side of the valley. They trudged on with little talk. Judging from the silence, Elsa guessed that none of their families survived. That must be unimaginable, she thought. Then again, Anna and I lost our parents at a young age. She whispered to Anna, "I can't believe that no one ever told us this." Anna shrugged. "Apparently this was before we were born. That would explain why our dad never mentioned his past."

Elsa heard a crunch under her feet. She lifted her right foot, and it turned out that she had stepped on a burned human skull. She put her hand over her mouth, partly to not scream, partly to not puke. She shot some snow at the cracked bone, covering it. Taking a deep breath, she continued walking.

"Halt," Steelheart ordered. They came to a stop into front of a large hole in the valley. He walked up to the hole and tapped it lightly. Suddenly, the wall began to slide downwards and into the ground, revealing 2 golems made of brown stone. Much to Elsa's surprise, one of them started to move. It walked over to the Summoners and eyed them closely. It asked, "Steelheart, who are these two strangers?"

"Elsa, Anna, this is Soren and Lauren, Earth Summoners. Soren is a boy, while Lauren is his sister." Steel introduced them to the golems, and they folded inward and shrunk. They transformed into teenagers with identical clothes with arm-blades jutting out of their arms. Elsa couldn't help noticing that they were twins, except the Lauren had long silky black hair. She made a mental note to be nice to people with metal blades jutting out of their limbs.

"Is there anybody else who we need to know around here?" She asked Steelheart. He shook his head. "As far as I know, we're all that's left Even though we've scoured the whole world, I've seen no other Summoners call for help." Steelheart beckoned them inside.

They walked into a large cave that was the size of a dome shaped castle. Elsa could see a small campfire, bookshelves, and some doors that possibly led to living quarters, and a small round table with a metal panel on top. The top of the dome was sealed off with hard amber-Elsa found that confusing.

"This is our camp," Steelheart spoke, "It's not that fancy, but it has the normal mechanics of an average household. I'd say more, but there is something I want to show you." He stopped at the table in the center. Soren, Lauren and Horatio left out the doors.

"Where'd they go?" asked Anna. "The twins went for combat training. I've sent Horatio to gather some food for tonight," Lilia answered.

Steelheart tapped on the table. "You wanted to know what happened that night when Thorin was razed. Lilia used her light to create some perspectives of the siege. The image you are about to see is formed by the magical surveillance mirrors and memories from me and Lilia." The round metal panel geared downwards and expanded to cover the table. Lilia outstretched her hand and conjured a small glowing orb. It floated towards the table and dispersed, creating a holographic image of what Elsa took as Thorin. The city was cut off with an impressive wall that raised a solid 50 feet. Houses were scattered within the walls, and at the very back loomed a white castle. A single long bridge jutted out of one side of the castle and connected with the side of the mountain. It looked so peaceful Elsa thought it was a dream; or at least until what happened next.

"July 13th," Steelheart said, "That was the 5th year after the Darkseiders had peace with Thorin. You both weren't born yet when this happened." On cue, he pointed at the wall. As if he had commanded it, Elsa watched as thousands of Darkseider archers flew in and rained arrows from the skies, killing innocent civilians. Alarm bells rang. The scene soon changed to a battle in the town center. Elsa stared as soldiers in robes charged into the streets and hurled fire, water, and gusts of wind at the attackers. Much to her dismay, the sheer numbers of Darkseider warriors cut them down.

Steelheart, in the vision, swooped in with several Summoners. As he fought the Darkseiders, the Summoners clashed with the Darkseiders with jets of water. Steelheart narrated the battle. "At that time, even though I was the brother of your grandfather, I was part of his royal guard, the Defenders of the Sea. Your father was still a prince. There he is." He pointed.

"That's our father?" Anna stared in disbelief as a young brown-haired man wielding a trident fought beside a much older man with grey hair. The man, Elsa guessed was the king, swung and slashed through the hordes of Darkseiders with a strange curved weapon. "That is your grandfather and my brother, Solen. He fought with the royal weapon, the rare falx." Steelheart explained. Soon they came face to face to the Darkseider Elsa recognized on their journey as Branar. They easily overpowered him and forced him away from the town center, the Summoner guards pummeling him with water pulses.

Lilia nodded. "Your grandfather, Solen, loved your father dearly. Together, they were unstoppable. At least that was, until they met the Dark Ruler." Elsa observed the vision. Unexpectedly, dark lightning surged through the Summoner ranks, vaporizing the soldiers. A man in dark robes and wearing a mask walked in front of Branar and pushed him away. "I take it that he is the Dark Ruler."

In the vision, Solen silently yelled and charged the masked man. He was slammed against the wall. With a flick of his finger, the Dark Ruler slammed Solen against the wall. Her father tried to swoop in and save his father. The Dark Ruler grabbed his trident by the point and snapped it in half. He kicked Elsa's dad away and impaled the broken point into Solen's chest. Instantly, mist started to swirl around the two kings and enveloped them in darkness. The fog lifted after a while, and The Dark Ruler was holding a charred black skeleton. He snapped the neck, and the skeleton crumbled into ashes. The scene shifted and showed Elsa's parents running off somewhere. As they ran, the vision shifted to their faces as they looked back. Behind them, Elsa could see that Thorin was incinerated in blue fire.

Steelheart explained the scene. "By the time this happened, Solen was already killed by the Dark Ruler's pure might. Seeing that their king was slain, the Summoners tried to run, but were massacred by Branar and the remaining 70,000 Darkseiders. Your father took your mother through an emergency tunnel that led you out of Thorin's mountains. He told me he was going to Arendelle, so I promised to hold off the Darkseider army with the few remaining forces I had until your family could escape." As they watched, two Earth Summoners pulled down the rocks that sealed the passage. The holograph faded out.

"And there you have it; every single blinkin' dang thing that happened on that extremely uncool night." Everyone turned as Horatio walked in with a dead dear over his back. Steelheart's voice was traced with irritation. "That's not exactly how I'd put it, but yes, that was what happened. You see, Elsa and Anna? That is your ancestorhood. You probably never knew this until now, so I can understand that it's a lot to take in. But there's one more thing you should already know by now."

"The prophecy you spoke of," Anna recalled, "Is it the one about an ice Summoner?"

"Yes it is." Lilia replied. "When before you were born, your father and grandfather received an omen that an ice Summoner would take the throne. Ice Summoners are the most powerful fighters, being able to control winter itself. The reason Thorin was attacked, Elsa, was because that the Dark Ruler did not want Thorin to become any more powerful; he saw Summoners as a curse in this world."

"Wait," Elsa asked, "this prophecy you speak of. Does it concern me?" Lilia nodded. "We believe so. We've kept an eye on Arendelle for all these years, watching the progress of your family. We also saw the incident when you nearly froze the entire world. After some time, we have come to the conclusion that you, Elsa, are the one the prophecy foretold."

Anna held out her hand in protest. "Uh, no offense, but what exactly does the prophecy say?"

Steelheart walked over to the nearest bookshelf and plucked out a small scroll that was strapped to the wall. He unrolled it and placed it on the table. On the scroll was a series of faded words.

From the Kings of Thorin a person shall rise

One who can harness winter, the crystal ice.

To restore the kingdom, a war to end,

The Light and dark to raze or mend.

"Okay…" Anna stammered, "I got more than I asked for. I get the part about the war to end, but the first two lines are not pretty surprising."

Elsa was pretty nervous about how this conversation was heading. "So, I'm the Summoner the prophecy spoke of? I'm not exactly a powerful person or the leading type of person."

Steelheart didn't answer her statement. He whispered to Lilia, which was kind of hard when you've got a helmet covering your face. Lilia listened closely, then relayed Steelheart's message to the sisters. "Steelheart says that we shouldn't take this matter into account just yet. For now, he will train you and teach you how to stay alive if the Darkseiders attack. And they will attack sooner or later, at all the kingdoms."

Elsa's thoughts raced inside her head. She understood about her past and the coming threat that supposedly is coming to Arendelle. Even if it wasn't her actual home, it was still close to her. But the issue about the prophecy…Elsa didn't feel very comfortable with it.

On the other hand, these people needed help, and Elsa was not a person who would turn them down. Plus, if what they said about the Darkseiders were real, then the whole world would be in trouble.

"Very well." Elsa finally spoke. "My sister and I will join your Summoners and train for battle. But I don't really want to hear much about the prophecy."

Horatio held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, fine. Helping us, yes. Talking about the prophecy, no. I guess we're all in agreement, eh?" Steelheart nodded. "Very well. Go and get some sleep in the cabin to the left. We'll start in the morning."

Elsa and Anna followed their directions and went to their temporary cabins. But once everyone was gone, the wall shimmered. Branar stepped into the room, a wound on his head. Using his axe, he carved open the entrance, walked out, and sealed it shut. Taking in the surroundings, he took out a pearl and smashed it on the ground. Smoked drifted from the remains of the pearl, and it formed a gap in the air. He jumped through it. Branar reappeared in a dark room. A man sat in front of him on a throne, his face shadowed in darkness. He possessed no weapon, but he radiated fear and power. Branar knelt before the man and reported, "My lord, I have found the Summoner stronghold."

The man spoke in a humming voice. "You may have failed to kill them, but you still have found where they hide like cowards. Prepare the armada. We shall go and slaughter them where they stand."

"My lord," Branar asked, "You have not recovered yet from your prison. Your powers are still weak."

The man spoke once more. This time, his voice was tinted with anger. "Be that as it may, I still am powerful enough to overpower Steelheart. He is our main threat. I shall capture him in front of their very eyes. And you, Branar, are to let them see the might of the Darkseiders. Do not question me again."

Branar rose and left the room, fading into the shadows. The man stood up from his throne and walked down the steps. He tapped the ground with his foot. A circle cloud of white mist appeared and formed a portal through the air. Instead of walking through it, a man with a hood over his face peeked in through the portal. The stranger stretched out a pale hand and touched the man's head. "Report, my heir."

"It has happened as you have said, great one. We have found the Summoners and their last lair." The man stated. The stranger's eyes glowed silver-gold. "Even through these gaps in time, I can still sense one of them particularly. Her fear smells…aromatic."

To this the first man replied, "The ice Summoner is still powerful. I shall attempt to break her by bringing down their leader. Their will shall be shattered, and you shall never have to fear about your enemies." The stranger withdrew his hand. "You may be the Dark Ruler, but your power is still weak. Remember, I am the only true leader of the Darkseiders, and my rule seeps over you. Remember what the main plan is: You are to destroy the Summoners while I deal with their descendants. If you are to fail, then I will return to the past."

The hooded stranger and the white mist began to fade "Never forget that final goal. Do it well, and I shall make you the second powerful sorcerer in all the eras." The white mist disappeared with the hooded man. The Dark Ruler rose and plucked a mask out of thin air. The mask was pale white, with red streaks from the forehead running down the middle of its eyes. The man, his face still covered in darkness, caressed the mask's cheek. "You know so little, Steelheart. I will show you the true power of darkness and its plans, no matter how weak I may seem. And when I do, you will be powerless to stop me."

End Chapter 3