Author's Note: Hi guys! I've decided to not praise the winner of the QOTD anymore because I'm just too lazy and I forget a lot. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Ghost - Part I

Kai landed inside the courtyard with a thud. It was so silent that he could hear a pin drop. For a moment, he looked up at the large gates to see if another small volley of electric balls would come at him in the courtyard. Surprisingly, none came at all. That made Kai even more curious as to what in the world it was. He has never before seen something so bizarre like that. He started to question himself whether there was actual balls of lightning or if it was all a part of his imagination. If that was the case, Kai wouldn't be surprised that it was. He had been seeing things - things that aren't necessarily normal to see. He tried his best to keep himself from going crazy.

Kai wanted nothing more than to just walk back and take his place besides Elsa on her bed. But, he knew himself better than that. He knew that it was unlike him to just walk away from a mystery or a fight. Kai always felt a sense of accomplishment after he got to the bottom of things. This was probably the most odd thing he has seen in a while, and Kai has seen crazy things. Crazy was a good word to describe and summarize Kai's entire life so far. He has seen it all from small and giant talking snowmen to an artificial winter caused by an ancient artifact back in his home country, Teranhall. Now that he thought about it, he realized that most of these unnatural things involved snow. Courtesy from Elsa, no doubt.

Before Kai took a step closer to the gate, he turned his head in a full three hundred and sixty degrees to see if there was anyone else in the courtyard. The courtyard was huge with two fountains sitting parallel to each other. The entrance to the castle was right behind him. Kai found no one there but him. Not a single window was cracked open in the castle. Of course, not many people would've occupied the castle. The only residents included Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven (who was fast asleep in the stables), Olaf, Kai, and a handful of servants. Many servants left to their own homes during nightfall. Other than that, there should not be anyone else inside the castle. No one was watching Kai. He wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing.

His sword and dagger were strapped to his waist. He hated being apart from his weapons. They were as useful to him as his hands were. They also were very special to him. Kai's dagger was his oldest and most fond weapon. Kai's sword was given to him by Elsa, and it's original owner was her late father. The sword was definitely a stronger sword than most of the blades Kai used. The way it was crafted was careful. It was made for royalty. Kai was no royalty, not yet anyway, yet he had a feeling that he wielded it more than any other person would with a royal sword.

Kai approached the door with haste, but he made sure to walk carefully. He had a feeling he may not like what he was going to see on the other side. He didn't want to alarm anyone by waking anyone up. But, he was sure that that would not happen. Sound would not go through the walls well. People inside the castle would be deaf to Kai. If anything went wrong, he was on his own.

Kai pressed his ear against the gate to see if he could hear anything from the other side. Yet again, it felt like he could a pin drop. It was incredibly quite. It was almost eerily quite. He had a mind to just turn around and walk back to the castle or perhaps even back to the roof where he could be at peace, wrapped up in his own thoughts. But, Kai had enough experience to know that basing things off of sound alone was unreliable. As a Bandit, he used this tactic many times to commit quick and easy steals from others. Kai then unlocked the gates and gently push the door on the left side open. He readied himself for a scare, as it was too much of a perfect opportunity for one.

He looked out at the stone bridge and found that no one stood at the other side of he gate. The plaza, which was usually buzzing with people, was empty as well. The candles were turned off inside the homes of the citizens. A pin could be heard throughout the entire city. Heck, even the entire countryside. There was no one awake for miles. Kai squinted to make sure that he wasn't missing out on any details, but even that didn't make things better. He was alone. The electric balls must have been a trick his eyes and mind were playing with him.

"I must be going crazy." Kai told himself.

But, before Kai could turn around, he felt a force on his back. He instantly knew that someone's foot has just kicked him around the center of his back. This kick was oddly powerful. Kai flew back from the gates and onto the bridge, landing face first somewhere around the middle. He felt a pain on his head. Although he couldn't see, he could feel it. He could see small drops of blood fall off from the bridge of his nose and onto the stone. He had a nasty cut on the bridge of his nose and his forehead was bruised. All of that was just from one kick. Other than that, there seemed to nose be any other damage done.

Kai slammed his fist on the ground hard and some pebbles vibrated under his arm. He then pushed himself up with both hands quickly. The blood that was on the stone smeared on his had, therefore removing the evidence of his bleeding from the stone.

Kai groaned weakly. Oh, now he was angry. He couldn't believe anyone would dare sneak up on him and attack him like that. It was obvious that whoever it was was looking for a fight, and if it was a fight they wanted, then Kai was glad to deliver. Only two people in history have ever given Kai any trouble in battle, and those two people, as far as Kai knew, were dead because of their own ambitions.

Whoever this mysterious assailant was, though, it was obvious that they were physically powerful. It would take a lot of strength and force to kick Kai as far as the assailant did. Kai had a feeling that he was dealing with someone of brute strength. Kai, for one, did not have outstanding physical strength. Sure, he was stronger than the average man with a better body build too, but he did not match Kristoff in strength. Kai rellied on his skill, speed, and powers during battle.

He reckoned that the person was using the electric balls to lure and distract Kai while he or she snuck around for the first blow. Kai had to admit, it was a very clever plan.

"Alright, asshole," Kai said, "you want to play?"

Kai pushed himself up and off of the ground. He then wiped the dirt off of his navy blue coat and brown pants by patting them with his hands. He wanted to make a good impression on whoever it was that wanted a beating from him. Kai turned around to face his assailant. The shadow of the castle's outer walls concealed most of his body. In the moonlight, only his leg was visible. Kai automatically knew it was a male because of the look of the leg. He wore brown boots that went up about halfway on his calves. His pants were beige, and Kai could see that he was wearing a tailcoat though he could barely make it out. The tailcoat was black, matching the shadows. His face was completely concealed in the darkness.

"Hello, old friend." The man said. Kai recognized the voice although it seemed like forever since he had heard it.

Kai's curiosity was winning him over. He needed to know who the person was at that instant.

"Step into the light." Kai ordered the man.

The stranger obliged. He took two steps forward, standing on the bridge, in the moonlight. Kai's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it at all. It's been nearly two years since he had seen the face of his enemy. The right side of his face still had the same scars and healed blisters. His brown hair seemed to be a bit longer than it was last time Kai saw it. But, there was no mistaking the murderous look in his electric blue eyes. He had his hand resting over a black handled sword strapped to his waist.

"Deren..." Kai said, taking a step back in disbelief.

"Surprise." Deren said, without enthusiasm.

Kai recalled the last encounter he had with Deren on Arendelle's head ship, The Royal III. After Kai was shot in the shoulder by Deren, Deren was struck by lightning and fell off of the crow's nest of the ship. Kai was also pretty sure the sea consumed Deren's body in the storm. There was no possible way he could have survived all of that. Yet, here he was, facing Kai once again.

"But you-" Kai said.

"Died?" Deren suggested.

"I saw you get hit by lightning." Kai continued. "The fall! The sea!"

Deren closed his eyes and shrugged. "Looks like you're not the only one that's not hard to kill."

Kai wanted all of this to be fake. No way was this real. But, if it wasn't, how did Kai get kicked all the way to the middle to the bridge. There was no one else there besides Deren. Was it possible that Kai propelled himself that far? He feared that insanity would take hold of him quicker than he thought it would. But, first, instead of worrying about that, Kai needed to get rid of Deren. It's just an illusion, Kai told himself, a trick of the mind. He then took a step closer to Deren and stood there, confidently.

"You can't be real." Kai said. "It's impossible."

"Oh," Deren chuckled, "like you've never done the impossible?" Deren then raised his arm at Kai and shot a blast of blue, hot lightning at Kai. Kai, of course, was completely oblivious to Deren's new abilities prior to this encounter. Kai had no time to react. He widened his eyes in surprise instead. That was a horrible move. A waste of a move. The blast hit Kai in the chest, sending him flying back to the end of the bridge on the opposite side of the castle. Pain erupted in his chest. Both on his skin and within. Instead of dispersing, like Kai's fire did when it hit someone, it was as if the lighting crawled threw his skin and had a party inside his chest. The clothes around where the lightning hit were blackened and steamed. Kai feared that he was immobile, but he was able to get up and get his bearings together. The pain soon subsided, but Kai never forgot the feeling.

Kai wondered how in the world Deren could do that. Never before has Deren used such abilities. Kai wasn't even sure it was possible to get powers without being born with them.

"How...?!" Kai asked. He was at a lost for words. "How did you-"

"You and Elsa are not the only one with special powers, either." Deren added. "You think you're a force to be reckoned with? You have no idea who and what's out there, do you?"

"Why?" Kai asked. "Who're you talking about?"

"I think it's better I say no more about it." Deren said. "The less you know, the better."

"Wow, Deren." Kai said. "I wouldn't take you as someone who follows orders."

Deren's fingers clenched around the handle of his sword. He wanted so badly to strike Kai down where he stood. Sure, it would take a few sword clashes, but Deren had the conviction to kill Kai. He would not be refined in battle. Kai, on the other hand, had a moral code he followed. He would strike at Deren, but he would be too careful to not make any fatal blows. Kai was afraid to stab someone deep, but as long as it wouldn't kill them, he would sleep well at night.

"Why are you here?" Kai asked Deren, demanding an answer. Kai was completely over the whole "Deren's back!" phase. Now, he just wanted to get answers. It didn't take long for Kai to process the fact that his old friend and current enemy was still alive and breathing. The only thing Kai had trouble dealing with was that Deren had powers which Kai had never known of.

"I'm here to settle a score." Deren told Kai.

Deren then held out his own palm in front of him and extended his fingers. A blue ball of electricity materialized in his hand. Deren tossed it in the air and caught it like it was a toy. He then squeezed the ball in his hand and clenched his fist. The ball seeped in between his fingers and then dispersed in his hand. Electricity danced and swirled around his closed fist. Kai had a feeling that he did not want to be punched with that hand. Deren then re-extended his palm and the ball reformed in it. In his other hand, he created a similar ball of lightning. Deren slowly pressed his hands together, squeezing the two balls. He then stretched his hands and arms apart. A stream of electricity was in between both of his hands. Deren then shook his hands and the lightning disappeared.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Deren asked. Kai replied with nothing. He was just thinking about how much of a show-off Deren was being. Deren continued to talk since Kai had no comment on his amazing abilities. "I've been practicing, you know?" Deren said. "For almost two years, ever since you left me for dead."

"You weren't breathing." Kai said. "You had no pulse. We didn't have time to drag you onto the rowboat. I had no idea that-"

"That I was still alive?!" Deren asked, angrily. "That I would become this?!" Deren extended his arms and streams of electricity shot from out of his open palms. They disappeared into the dark night sky. He then steadied his breathing and continue to glare at Kai.

"Deren," Kai said, "you tried to kill me twice. Three times if you count what you did to me about a minute ago. Did you honestly expect me to help you after all the pain you put me through?"

Deren raised an eyebrow and shifted his weight on one leg. He then slightly nodded. "Well... yeah." Deren said.

Kai sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He felt a sting and forgot that he had a cut there. "The point is you've been a pain to me more than you've been a saint. So don't shift the blame onto me for everything that's happened. You've only yourself to blame."

Deren let out his anger in the next attack he did. He quickly swiped his arm in front of him quickly. A well sized blast of lightning shot toward Kai about the size of a melon. This time, Kai was expected it. He provoked Deren, and he knew Deren was not one to let that go unpunished. Kai knew that if that blast hit him in the right place, it may be a fatal blow. He wasn't going to let that happen. There were still people to protect and people to fight.

Kai shot a similar sized blast of fire from his hands at the blast of lightning. The two flew at each other at an incredible speed. When both met, they instantly dispersed and made a show of small fire and lightning that drifted down like dust.

"How did you get you're powers?" Kai asked, shooting another blast of fire at Deren.

Deren engulfed his hand in lightning and smacked the fireball when it was close, instantly dispesing it. Deren didn't even feel the heat.

Mara told Deren a possibility of his new-found powers. She believed him to be the modern version of her old enemy, Draid. Deren felt that he shouldn't tell Kai everything, just things he needed to know. But, in no way would it help Kai in the battle.

"I had the ability inside me the whole time." Deren said. "That lightning strike freed it." He then shot a spear shaped bolt of lightning at Kai. Kai sidestepped as it came closer, but he made the mistake of trying to grab it as it passed. When Kai wrapped his hand around it, pain erupted in Kai's hand. Usually, things like that would burn people. Kai was immune to burns. But, this was a completely different, indescribable sort of pain. The closest Kai could make to describing it was a hundred needles being jabbed into his hand at once. Kai took his hand away from the bolt and shook his hand. The bolt dispersed as it passed Kai.

Kai knew that it was only a matter of time before the two of them drew their swords and began to fight that way. It would not be the first time that the two fought like that. But, every time they fought with their swords, there never seemed to be an official winner. There was always something else that interrupted and ended the battle. Kai hoped that this would be the last time he would have to face Deren. He hoped, though, that that didn't mean he had to kill him. Kai saw himself as above killing. He refused to stoop down to Deren's, Cade's, and Lilith's level. But, there were many times where Kai considered it as an option. If the time came and he had to do it, Kai would do it.

Kai shot a volley of fire balls at Deren which flew towards him from above. Deren swiped his arm and a shot of lightning blasted each fireball, dispersing them, but one volley was still making it's way towards Deren. Instinctively, Deren crossed his arms above his head in an X shape. The fire hit his forearms, sending him sliding back on his feet, and his clothes steaming. The fire hurt him a little.

Deren glared and gave Kai an evil look with his eyes. He created the stream of electricity in between both of his hands once again. Kai could have swore that the blue was getting brighter by the second. What that meant, he didn't know for sure, but he had a hunch. It looked like Deren was charging the lightning up, and Kai knew for sure that he didn't want to be within the line of fire when Deren used his attack. Then, something popped in Kai's head. It was a crazy idea which may actually save his life. He could easily dodge Deren's attack, but he knew how anti-climatic and lame that would've look. Besides, he had no idea how far this attack of Deren's would go. It may go to the city and hurt others. Kai couldn't let that happen. Instead, he decided to block the attack.

"You need to fight lightning with fire." Kai whispered to himself.

Kai then extended his arms and pointed them down, diagonally so that were parallel to his hip. Kai then created fireballs in each hand. The flames were getting brighter and bigger the more he charged it. He just hoped that the light wasn't enough to get anyone awake. Soon, Kai's hands were completely engulfed in flames so they both looked like miniature suns glowing with fiery energy. He had a feeling that if anyone but him touched it, their fingers would be incinerated instantly. Kai didn't need this blast to hurt Deren. He just needed it to subdue whatever Deren was doing.

Then, Deren's lightning striked. The middle of the stream Deren made shot a bolt of blue electricity directly at Kai, so fast that Kai barely had time to react. Kai swung his arms together in front of him so his wrists were touching. The two suns fused into one larger one and a beam of fire shot at the lightning. When the two met, flames flew out from the middle. A huge light show was being given. Too bad no one else was there to witness the spectacular sight. Kai and Deren did their best to put as much energy into their beams as they possibly could. Deren was even sweating. Kai grit his teeth as he fought.

"Give up your crusade Deren!" Kai ordered. His voice was barely audible from the fire and lightning.

"Not until I'm standing over your corpse!" Deren countered.

"My time has not come." Kai said.

"Oh," Deren said, "it will, sooner than you think."

"No." Kai defied. "I still have a reason to live. You do not. There are people I need to protect!"

Deren's eyes widened. Of course, he thought to himself. How could he be so wrong in his approach to take Kai out. Kai has become too soft and caring, not the Kai Deren once knew. But, he prayed that that would be in his favor. Deren had to make Kai believe that he was attacking his heart.

Deren quickly let go of his stream. Kai was so surprised that Deren had just given up that he too let go of his beam. Unfortunately for Deren, the remainder of Kai's fire blasted him in the chest and sent him flying into the courtyard of the castle. Kai ran across the bridge in hopes of getting to Deren, hoping that he was still alive. Kai stopped in his tracks when he saw that Deren was slowly getting up. Deren stood in the middle of the courtyard, his clothes somewhat burnt. Kai stood in front of the open gates, relieved that Deren was alive.

"I've had enough of you." Deren told Kai. He then turned to face the castle. "I think it's time to pay your friends a visit."

"If you touch them," Kai threatened, "I'll send you straight to hell."

Deren shrugged and started to walk to the castle doors.

Kai unsheathed his sword and charged.

Author's Note: I hoped you guys liked the chapter. I'm deeply sorry that it didn't contain as much action as any of us hoped. When I was writing it, I found that I had gotten to about 3000 words at one point, and I realized that the chapter would be much too long if I added some more sword fighting. As many of you know and noticed, I like to elaborate and describe my action scenes well. But, at least you guys got some nice lightning verses fire action.

Also, just a heads up, I'm going to start writing the next chapter a little later meaning it'll be up a little later because I just got my copy of Assassin's Creed: Unity from online, and I want to devote my weekends to playing it. As some of you may know, Assassin's Creed is my life. I love Assassin's Creed more than I like Frozen. I may have a review for the game up soon for those of you who are interested.

Anyway, let's get back to talking about fanfiction. Please review/comment on this chapter! I'm trying to break the number of reviews I have for The Coming Storm. That's, like, over 170 reviews. Can we do it?!

For other projects, I may stop this story for a little during Christmas and 1 or 2 holiday themed chapters will be posted in this story. After that's out of the way, I'll continue with this story. My next series will be a Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus story that will be up in 2015. I have the entire story played out in my mind, and for those of you who're fans of the series should definitely check that out. I'm pretty sure it'll be a roller coaster of feels (God, I hate that word).

Ciao.