Erik stumbled through the forest far from Arendelle, from the first place in months he thought he could make a home of. Everything was so great… the people were so welcoming, the city so alive. If only he hadn't lost control… if only he didn't meet her…
Her…
The Queen… he had been with the Queen herself… She was so beautiful, her eyes were like the ice he saw her creating with her magic: deep and blue and crystalline… her hair, swirling like a snowstorm, even though she kept it braided. And she was smart, too; she knew about Osterland, even though it was so far away. She was witty and funny and…
And completely, totally, absolutely beyond him.
His loss of control in front of her was proof enough; he couldn't keep her safe, and if he hurt the Queen, he'd be put down for regicide. He was torn internally; he wanted to go back, to be with her again, let her icy coolness sooth his inner inferno, but he couldn't. Lyssa's face flashed in front of his eyes again, but, somehow, it didn't make it any worse. He chuckled bitterly; it seemed like he had finally learned to let her go. But Elsa? It burned him harder than Lyssa ever did to think about how he could never see her again. He spent only a day with her, and even if it wasn't any kind of love, she made him feel at peace. She cooled down his inferno to something tolerable. He looked around, and saw that his internal struggle had externalized itself, lighting the forest around him aflame. He couldn't help but lament out loud.
"The ash burns bright in the forest tonight
The flames are cackling…
A nation of desolation,
And it looks like I'm the king."
It was crushing to think of how life had left him.
"The fire is roaring like this inferno inside
Couldn't keep it in, though hell knows I tried"
Would he ever be able to control this raging inferno inside of him?
"Let no one in, let no one see
All alone, you always have to be
Just run, just flee, don't let them learn
But now they've learned…"
No. He supposed he never would.
"Let it burn, let it burn
They'll all just have to learn
Let it burn, let it burn
Time to show them all it's my turn!"
It was his turn to be free now.
"I don't care
What my heart may say
Let the flames rage on,
I think I prefer the heat anyway."
So he would be forever alone; fine. So be it. He'd never have anyone or anyplace to call his own.
"I like how this inferno
Makes everything seem bright
And the fears that once restrained me
Set everything alight!"
He'll just adapt.
"It's time to see what I can do
I'll test the limits, and break through
No love, no home, no rules for me...
I'm free!"
He'll just have to make the most of it.
"Let it burn, let it burn
I'll set fire to the sky!
Let it burn, let it burn
You'll never hear me cry!"
"Here I stand,
And here I say
Let the flames rage on…"
He began channeling his powers all around him, blasting away the burning trees and searing away the grass, even melting the soil down.
"My power simmers through the air and all around
My soul is exploding in flaming spirals through the ground
And one thought burns brightly like a fire-y ghast
I can't ever go back,
This life is all I have!"
"Let it burn! Let it burn,
And I'll rise like a shooting star!
Let it burn, let it burn,
The life I had is charred!"
"Here I stand
In the flames of today!
Let the flames rage on,
I think I prefer the heat anyway."
The forest around him had been thoroughly charred clean, and the soil had been smelted into volcanic rock. He had made his choice; he'd never learn to control this inferno, so he wouldn't try. Instead, he'd give it free reign. He'd burn what he felt like burning, char what he thought should be charred. He reached out and manipulated the rock into melting again before pulling the magma up into four spires. Hmph… he didn't know he could do that. He looked around at the volcanic circle he had made, and a smile crept across his face. Maybe he didn't have to run. Maybe he could have a place to himself, after all.
He got to work raising up his humble abode, melting the rock beneath him and raising it up to his desires. Unlike the ice palace which had been raised on the North Mountain a year ago, this volcanic stronghold was close to Arendelle, and quite visible. To the citizens of the city, it appeared as if the warlock that tried to kill Queen Elsa was rising up his own person fortress to besiege Arendelle. Elsa stared out at the erecting stronghold, concern swirling in her mind.
"Erik…" She mumbled. He was scared, and confused. He was going through the exact same thing she did, but he refused to let her help him. This was just like poor Anna, but worse: At least Elsa had experience with powers like these. Although she had heard the citizens talking about a great battle between their beloved queen of ice and this 'foul demon of flame', she knew that couldn't be the case. It couldn't be. Erik was no demon, he was a sorcerer just trying to come to terms with what he was born with. She turned to the nearby handmaiden who was waiting on her. She had a command ready.
"Tell the guards to gather the royal council. We have much to discuss." Was all she said. She knew she had to speak to her advisors about this; although she knew how to help Erik, she needed help getting him to let her help him. She refused to give up on him; she refused to let him go.
She refused to believe that they were destined to destroy each other.
Especially when, deep down, she so desperately wanted to believe that they were meant for each other.