Chapter 10: Lost Illios
Author's note: Hello again readers, sorry to drop the ball earlier but I really need feedback from you guys. This entry took a little longer but I had a lot of information to get through. Please continue to rate and review, and as promised here's chapter ten.
He had lost the third assassin. He cursed himself for allowing one of Elsa's would-be killers to escape, and to add insult to injury the royal guard was hot on his trail. He realized he had to leave Arendelle tonight, he had to find that man and leave before anyone else uncovered his true identity. Moving quickly Alexander dashed through the dark deserted streets of Arendelle and back to his room at the Wooden Nickel. Within two minutes he had stripped off his tuxedo and put on simple traveling garb and his grey wool coat. Thankfully he only ever unpacked a few of his possessions so he was able to quickly shove everything back into his large travel bag. Finally equipping his weapons belt containing Niernen, his estus flask and other tools, Alexander turned to leave only to find an angry Kristoff standing in the doorway.
"You're gonna tell me right now exactly who the hell you are, and why you're in Arendelle!" He demanded.
"Sir I don't know who you are but you need to step aside."
"Oh I think you know exactly who I am." Kristoff hissed as he walked menacingly towards the other man. "Alexander!" He cried grabbing his shirt and ripping it open far enough to expose the grizzly scars on his muscular chest. Like the waiter at the ball Alexander sent Kristoff flying backwards against the opposite wall. "So, you too have powers? You're going to answer to the Queen, you're coming back to the castle!" The ice master roared. "I'm afraid I can't do that Kristoff." He replied turning his back to collect his travel bag. "I thought you might say that." He had not anticipated that the ice harvester would be bold enough to attack him again. Kristoff delivered a devastating haymaker punch directly to the back of his skull, immediately knocking him unconscious. Darkness circled around him, gradually enveloping him, his consciousness begun spiraling between reality and his memories.
"THEY'VE BREACHED THE CITY!"
"FALL BACK TO THE PALACE!"
The city was on fire, people screamed in pain and horror and soldiers and citizens alike were put to the sword. His sister Maria was pleading in terror, not only for her life but for her daughter as well. "No Fredrick." "Please don't do this!" Her words echoed faintly through his consciousness as her screams pierced his thoughts. Fredrick laughed sadistically as the water she conjured did nothing to thwart his attack. He watched hopelessly as the man he had once called his brother, was now violently raping his sister.
"Put him in shackles and bring him back to the castle." Ordered Kristoff.
"Yes sir." The guards replied.
"Daddy?" A young girl called out. "Why did you hurt mommy?" Her frail innocent voice faded as it was replaced with a bloodcurdling shriek. "I'm coming!" He tried calling out. He raced desperately through a never-ending corridor, the faster he ran the further the door seemed to slip away from his grasp. "I have to get to them." He thought. "I have to save them."
"THEY'VE BREACHED THE GATES! PROTECT THE ROYAL FAMILY!"
Slipping in and out of consciousness he found himself being dragged up the marble steps towards the throne room. "Bring him to the Queen." Kristoff demanded. "Does he have powers?" The guards inquired nervously. "I saw him throw those men through the air." Another replied.
His heart shattered as he saw their broken bodies lying bloodied on the floor. Fredrick stood towering over his victims, blood dripping from his sinister blade. He had slain those who were once his family, and now stared at his brother-in-law with a look of malice and sadistic pleasure. Ready to purge the world of magic.
"I'm sorry…." He sobbed. "I'm so sorry…"
Alexander groggily regained consciousness and realized in horror that he was handcuffed, surrounded by guards, and standing before the Queen in the throne room. "Why have you brought him here in chains?!" Queen Elsa demanded. "He would not come willingly, besides this man is dangerous." Kristoff replied. Alexander looked at Kristoff with pure hatred, he had to get out of here, that man had to be caught before he could spread word of his abilities. "Bravo Kristoff, instead of capturing the man who had plotted to murder your wife and sister-in-law you successfully captured the man who saved their lives." Alexander sneered in anger. "Now unchain me! I need to find him!"
"I am afraid you will have no luck." The illusive spymaster intervened. "My little birds have told me that the third assailant has left the harbor in a speed cruiser travelling in some haste. You will not catch him." His worst fears had been realized. Leaving Arendelle now would make no difference, they would now know of his presence, and they would stop at nothing to find him. "They will now know I'm here." He muttered. "Elsa… please, call off your guards, and have them unchain me." Kristoff intervened before the Queen could provide her answer. "I think it is better you remain cuffed." The guards all simultaneously unsheathed their swords as the middle chain link to his shackles snapped in half. The clasps unlocked and the broken cuffs fell to the ground as Alexander rested his hands at his sides. The entire room was on edge, Elsa, Anna, and Quintus were all stupefied, and Kristoff and the guards were ready to strike at any moment. Alexander stood calmly in the center, completely nonchalant and unmoved by the guard's display of force.
"You have powers don't you?" The Queen asked, her voice barely a whisper. Turning the palms of his hands upwards every sword was suddenly snatched from their owner's hands and suspended in the air before them. The men looked in terror was their weapons levitated around them room before being dropped to the ground with a spine chilling clatter. "From a young age I have been able to harness the power of telekinesis. My mind can manipulate any physical matter at the expense of my own energy. The estus you saw me produce Kristoff heals the deadly effects my powers have on my body." They royal family stared at him in unison. Elsa could not believe that there was another living person with powers, much less Alex. "Quintus, guards, leave us." The Queen ordered. "Your grace…" One of the guards protested. "Now!" She shouted. Quintus swept away gracefully from the room and the guards scrambled to collect their fallen swords before leaving. Elsa stood to address her mentor and friend as the heavy wooden door sealed shut behind the last guard. "Who are you?" She demanded.
Sighing heavily he looked up to face the Queen. "My full name is Alexander Manus Potestas. First and only son of Gwyn, King of Illios, and Pricilla, Queen of Illios. Brother of Princess Maria of Illios, and last surviving member of the royal family." Their jaws dropped at his words, all three were completely taken aback by his claim. "Illios was destroyed over a decade ago." Replied Elsa in disbelief. "The entire royal family was killed…."
"All save for one." Alexander intervened. "The Westerguard family that rules the Southern Isle's has a particular hatred towards any and all who practice magic. Throughout history their family developed a reputation for hunting down hundreds of sorcerers like you and I, believing our powers to be an abomination against god, and a threat to society. Our powers being unbeknownst to the Westerguards my father decided to form an alliance between our families. Hoping to avert their wrath should we be discovered. My older sister Maria was born with the ability to conjure and control water at will. She was married to Prince Fredrick, or should I now say King Fredrick of the Southern Isles." He said with loathing.
"Their first few years together were happy ones, Maria loved her husband dearly and went on to bare his child. It wasn't until she went into labour that she accidently discharged her powers in front of Fredrick, finally exposing our secret to them. Fredrick left in disgust and went to inform his family of what happened. For two years we heard nothing, the Southern Isles had gone silent. Maria raised her daughter Josephine on her own, changed her, bathed her, fed her at her own breast, she wouldn't let the wet-nurse near her." He explained with a sad smile. "Finally after years of silence we received word from the Southern Isles, demanding we step down and go into exile. My father refused." Tears had now begun to well in his eyes, his face grimaced from the emotional pain that was now coming.
"They attacked at midnight, on the seventeenth of June. They peppered walls and buildings with cannon fire. A battalion of ten thousand men marched into Illios, killing every last man, woman, and child that stood in between them and the palace. I had sensed something was wrong. Using my telekinetic abilities I saw into my sister's mind... I… I saw Fredrick… raping my sister, and beating her as she tried to use her powers to stop him… r-right before he cut her throat… Then he found three year old Josie hiding scared in the wardrobe… She was his daughter. His own daughter! Who had no powers of her own! And he put a knife where her tiny heart was!" He bellowed, tears flowing freely down his face. Elsa and Anna had begun to cry as well, Kristoff was utterly speechless, on the verge of tears himself.
"I… I tried to save them but I was too late… they killed my sister… my beloved niece… my mother, and my father the last fire conjurer…" He ushered softly though the tears. "That was when I lost control. My pain, and rage had created a telekinetic discharged that ripped apart the place. I destroyed the house my ancestors built… I am the reason… that half my kingdom… is now a pile of rubble…" He choked.
"Why didn't you tell me?" The Queen asked in a hoarse voice.
"King Fredrick has been hunting for me for over a decade. If anyone knew my true identity it would have put everyone in danger. When I exposed myself tonight I intended to kill the third assassin and flee the city before anyone could uncover the trough." He replied. "However thanks to the ice master here, the Southern Isles will now know of my presence." He hissed. "The Westerguards have driven our kind into near extinction. For you Elsa, they sent three men to kill you. For me… they'll send an army."
The royal family look at him in horror. "How can you be certain?" Kristoff asked in disbelief. "We don't even know if those men were from the Southern Isles!"
"He's right Kristoff…" Anna intervened. "When Hans found out about Elsa's powers he immediately tried to kill both of us. Who else would have sent those men?"
Kristoff glared at Alex menacingly. "Then you need to leave immediately." He said threateningly.
"Kristoff?" Anna gasped in shock.
"You heard the man, they'll send an army to find him! He can't stay here!" He roared.
"Leaving now will make no difference. He sends men wherever I am sighted. Arendelle will face his full wrath for harboring two sorcerers."
"Then I say we hand him over." Kristoff said to the Queen. "We give him to the Southern Isles and they leave us alone."
"Kristoff!" Anna cried. Elsa sat silently, paralyzed by the information she had absorbed, Alex shook his head grinning despite himself.
"There is a reason you handle ice, not politics." Alex sneered. "Fredrick will never leave you alone. He will kill anyone who possesses magic… and anyone in relation to them." He continued coldly. "He murdered his own daughter because she carried her mother's genes, he will kill Anna as well… and he will burn Arendelle to the ground to reach them! Right now I'm the best hope you have…" The two sisters had gone pale, Kristoff stood there enraged, fists and teeth clenched firmly in anger.
"We don't need you…" He hissed. "We can protect Arendelle."
"You can't even protect your own family." Alex retaliated.
Kristoff lost it, enraged he barreled towards Alex, fists raised ready to murder to man. Before he could come within ten feet of him Alex sent Kristoff skidding backwards with his powers. As Kristoff charged again Elsa rose from the throne and conjured a thick barrier of ice between the two men. "ENOUGH!" Her voice echoed through the throne room. "Kristoff, Anna, I want you to leave." She said quietly. "Elsa…" Kristoff protested. "NOW!" She ordered cutting him off. "I wish to speak with him alone." The royal couple solemnly exited the room with Anna practically dragging her husband away. Elsa slowly approached her mentor and friend, horrified and bewildered by what he had told her.
"Why did you come here?"
"You know why." He replied softly. "I told you the day we met. I had to know if there were others out there. I had to know if I was the last of us. The moment you showed me your powers I knew I had to help you, help give you answers, help guide you."
"Why did you want to help me?" She asked dumbfounded.
"I couldn't save my family. I couldn't help my sister…" He choked tearing up. "Maybe I can help you and your family…"
Elsa pulled him into a comforting embrace as he broke down in grief. She could not imagine the pain this poor man had endured in his short miserable life. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" She cooed. He only sobbed harder.