Kristoff approached the princess; the girl still staring into space. Touching her arm gently, he asked "Are you okay?"

The rush from earlier remained, in a sense. It made Anna want to drive her fist into something, just for the release. But a sinking feeling anchored her to the ground. She couldn't help but recall the last time she fought with her sister. Not really a fight, more of a confrontation, but it had been enough to cause the endless winter. She whimpered in response.

Kristoff pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She closed her eyes and let the warmth and the smell of pine and sweat wash over her. It was a particular smell that stood out in the world of a princess, but it brought her comfort.

He spoke softly into her hair. "Hey- Hey, there. It's going to be alright."

Anna hugged him back and squeezed. "I messed it up, didn't I?" she asked into his chest. Burying her head deeper, she let out a slow breath. "Why do I keep messing things up?"

"It's not your fault. Sisters fight, all siblings do," he replied.

The energy slowly left the princess. Her arms slid down to her sides, but her head remained pressed against Kristoff. He leaned his cheek down towards her head. "Just give Elsa some space. She'll come around and you can talk it out."

She nodded, and for a very long while, they just stood there. Anna lost herself in Kristoff, to the gentle rise of his chest, the sound of his heart, how he carefully stroked her shoulder with a thumb. Outside, the wind picked up. It's force rattling the door and the shutters.

The mountain man pulled back and looked into her eyes. He took a deep breath. "I know Elsa said… she was rough, but she was right about the vaettir."

"Kristoff…" Anna began, but the look from the mountain man silenced her.

"They always get something in return, Anna," he said, frowning. There was a pause. "What did you…"

Anna huffed. "Not a thing! The River Man kept saying that the price was paid."

Kristoff blinked with confusion. "But there's always… what? Then who could have…"

"The River Man told me to ask Elsa," the princess answered.

"Good idea."

Anna straightened up, smoothing her skirt and adjusting her cloak. "Time to be the bigger man," she said to herself. Kristoff smiled encouragingly. "Girl," she corrected. "Person." Letting out a breath, she went for the door.

Warm light spilled into the night. Anna searched, but Elsa stood nowhere to be found. She took a few steps out, hoping to catch a glimpse of her sister around the proverbial corner. Nothing. There weren't even traces in the snow that blanketed the surroundings for miles aside from the trails Anna had left herself when she approached from beyond the hill. A strong gust of freezing mountain wind sent a chill through her. "Kristoff!" she called back into the cabin.

He popped up in the doorframe. "Anna? What's the matter?"

"Elsa's gone."

"What?"

Kristoff went through the motions as Anna had moments earlier, producing the same result. He ended up among the snowdrifts, peering deep into the night. "I can't see her," he said. Turning to the mountains in the distance, he went on. "But I think I know where she's headed."

"The lake?" she asked.

Kristoff nodded. "I'll grab my gear," he said firmly, dashing into the cabin. "Let's hope Elsa doesn't try to scale the cliffs on her own. It's dangerous enough during the day… "

The princess giggled. "She's not me, you know."

She got a worried smile in return.

Anna fought the snow. As the pair moved closer to the frozen lake, the depth of the power had increased dramatically. From a few inches worth to what now reached almost above her knees. She carried her skirts around her, pulling a leg out from the depths of snow to take another step. "Are we there yet?" she grunted.

"Almost," replied Kristoff. "Just a little more."

The distance described was enough to take the wind out of the princess by the end of it all. A numbing cold and sharp winds sapping her strength far more efficiently than the march. Reaching the cliffs leading up to the Frozen Heart, the texture of the snow had changed from a light power to a stiffer, more compact form. When they finally stood before Elsa's creation, it was as if they walked on solid, white ground.

"Woah," the pair said in unison.

Anna marvelled at the bridge that twisted between the cliffs, its surface had almost a polished sheen to it. Beneath it was a glittering layer of blue and teal hues. At the base she spied a set of footprints leading upwards, depressions in a fuzzy layer of patterned frost. She glanced at Kristoff and said "Looks like she didn't climb after all."

Kristoff hefted his gear. "Yeah…" he said, trailing. His eyes followed the path all the way up to the top. Nested between the silhouette of the cliffs and the night sky, weak bloomed outwards. He nudged Anna and pointed with a gloved hand. "Something's happening up there."

A gust of wind cut across their spot. The princess pulled her cloak closer and turned to Kristoff. "Let's go!" she yelled against the current. He yelled something back, but it didn't carry well enough. Yielding to the elements, he simply waved vigorously as a signal for the two to begin their ascent.

The bridge creaked ominously as they moved across it. Crossing the third segment between two giant stone monoliths, an audible crack echoed across the field. Fractures spread from beneath their footsteps and snaked down the sides of the frozen bridge. The sound of shuffling snow filled Anna's ears. She shot a glance backwards and saw the base of the construct failing. Massive chunks of snow and ice were falling to the ground far below. She felt a hand slapping into her back. "Go. GO!" yelled Kristoff, pushing her forward as hard as he could.

She pulled at her skirts and broke into a wild run. The mountain man ran next to her, taking giant strides with ease. He struggled with his gear, untangling ropes to wrap them around the handle of a climbing pick. She could feel the ground giving way under her. The cold, black rock were so close ahead. Cold air burned her lungs. If Anna could only reach it, she could be safe. Suddenly, one fear was replaced with another when she felt Kristoff's hands close around her, sweeping her off the ground with one large motion.

Anna let out a yelp when she flew through the air and another one when she hit the hard surface. The impetus of the impact sent her rolling. She scrambled for a grip against the smooth, compact snow surface, but the small cracks that had formed crumbled under her mittens. She could feel the slope turning downwards. In a mad panic, Anna kicked out with her boots. Crisp snow shattered under the pressure and she dug in as deeply as she could.

She had scrunched her body together, her eyes pressed closed in fear. Anna's breath was short and shallow, her heart trying to beat its way out of her chest. When the muted sound of snow on snow faded and she opened her eyes to peek around, she found herself teetering on the edge of a sharp stone outshoot. The flat peak of the massive monolith lay just above her. She leaned back into the snow, and called out. "Kristoff?"

No answer.

"Kristoff!"

Anna felt a length of rope smack her in the face. "Anna, are you hurt" she heard Kristoff gasp from above. She pulled at the robe and clambered up the side to join the mountain man. He too was covered in snow.

Anna breathed heavily. "I'll live." Then her eyes went wide, catching the injury on Kristoff's face. A series of long scratches formed a patch of red skin. Small beads of blood were forming. She winced sympathetically when motioned to touch the wound. "You're hurt," Anna mouthed worriedly.

Kristoff guided her hand away. "It's just a scratch." He turned to face the final plateau above them, the platform to which the final part of the bridge stretched a few moments ago. The lights were stronger now, pulsing every now and then with increasing brilliance. Around them, the wind was picking up.

Elsa reached out to touch the suspension of snow in the air that at instances formed a very human silhouette. The flakes were much too big and much too intricate to be natural snow, but she was sure that these were not creations of her own. At contact, a flake split into smaller pieces that were carried away by the wind. The glittering constellation split apart.

The voice she heard was gentle. "Welcome," it said. There was a familiarity about it, like the voice of a parent or sibling, even memories of Kai and Gerda flashed past. Elsa felt as if she'd heard the voice her entire life, she could not place it.

She spoke anxiously. "Who are you?"

"You have sought me, yet you do not know?" the voice asked with a hint of amusement.

"I don't!" Elsa exclaimed. She turned and searched her surroundings. "They- the trolls and the… powers at the Glaze Steps told me I would learn the final part here; at the Frozen Heart! They never said who you were."

The wind intensified to a howling gale, but it's presence wasn't felt where Elsa stood. A chiming chuckle could be heard. "A courtesy they were right in providing." Snow and ice gathered and spun into a human shape. From feet to waist, only a rough outline was formed. Above it, increasingly fine crystal dust grew into arms and head. The being shared Elsa's features to an extent, though there were still an alien air about it. Deep within its eyes, she saw two glowing dots.

"I too heard the plea of man that day," the voice began. Taking small steps, it paced. "Like the Vaettir and the Aspects. I saw within man something beautiful shining through even as I witnessed the struggle of your kin." It turned and held its arms wide. "So I gathered all that I was and drew back. I returned to the highest peaks, to the northlands were my brethren hold no power."

Elsa frowned. "Your brethren?"

"Yes, far more adored," it sighed, "though capable of severities equal to my own. But I harbour no ill will against Summer."

Elsa's eyes widened as thoughts fell into place. Elsa spoke in a hushed voice. "You are…"

"Yes." The being smiled. "I am Winter."

The aurora pulsed overhead and a crisp cold rolled outwards. Taking a few steps closer, she said, "so like the… Aspects, you helped us survive here. You gave us warmer summers, mild winters."

It lowered its arms. "There is truth in that my gentleness aided your kin," it said, shaking its head. "However, my blessing to man was another."

"I don't understand."

The distance between the two was crossed in an instant. "Love is the beauty I witnessed in man. And I am filled with joy that love still holds fast in the hearts of Arendelle. It is a powerful, unimaginably powerful force. That capacity for care, the love that your kind hold is your greatest strength. With it burning within you, for the sake of which it is directed against, your kind will stand against whatever foe, move whatever obstacle you come across. It changes the world."

The avatar placed a gentle hand square on Elsa's chest. It felt cold. "My blessing is what you hold within. That day, I anointed man with my power. I desired man to see my beauty, to feel joy at my coming, to consider me a friend rather than a foe. Love burns strong within you, to it I extend and add my own."

"My power," Elsa whispered, "it comes from you?"

Winter nodded.

Elsa was at a loss for words. She'd wondered her whole life why she'd been able to do these things. For the longest time, ever since she hurt Anna, she was convinced it was a curse. The endless winter and her sister's sacrifice had broken that idea, but only now did she feel to her very core that her powers were something more. Something bigger.

She took the hand of the avatar, her clothes cracking under the movement. "Are there others like me?" she asked, eyes wide with wonder, her mind focused.

Its features fell but a fraction, though still noticeable. Within Winter's eyes, the lights flickered. "No. There are not," it said in a low voice. "In the days of old, there were many, many more."

"Can you tell me about them?"

"You wish to hear this tale? Truly?" It gestured around it. "This place–"

"Please," Elsa interrupted, "I need to know more."

The avatar paused for a moment, gauging Elsa with a gaze. "Very well," it agreed.

Anna took Kristoff's hand and let herself get hauled over the edge of the plateau and unto the top of the peak that housed the frozen lake. The very moment she touched solid ground, the princess dropped to her knees. Her legs weren't particularly tired, but her arms were as good as spent and the fatigue spread quickly.

She rolled her head at Kristoff and spoke. "Thanks… that was way harder than it looked like."

He knelt down next to her and grunted with exertion. "You did good." Turning towards the lake, Kristoff's face went grim. "But I don't think it's over yet."

Overhead, the aurora pulsed intensely, pouring it's multi-coloured light over the scene before them. Across the frozen lake, a strange storm endured. Swathes of snow were slowly twisting in supernatural patterns, together forming a hollow pillar. In the centre of it all stood a pale shape that was Elsa, unmoving in the winds. Anna strained to get a better look, glimpsing some other form next to her sister. Her thought quickly rushed back to the warning the pale woman had given her. Something was out there with Elsa, something dangerous.

"Elsa," the princess said weakly between breaths that coalesced into wispy trails in the air. Gathering her strength, she stood and marched on the edge of the lake. Whatever was out there would have to deal with her if they wanted Elsa. Just as her boot was about to pass over the ice, she felt a tug on her cloak. Kristoff was beside her.

He shook his head, brows furrowed. "Don't," he said simply, pushing Anna back. With a nod, he indicated the source of his worry.

There was a break in the air, thin jagged shifts stretching from the edge of the lake upwards. Across the lines, the world warped slightly, as if viewed through a piece of glass. Every now and then, shards seemed to jitter from it only to fall back in moments later. Anna glanced around. The strange phenomena encircled the entire lake, a layer upon the storm that raged. The princess bit her lip, hand hovering by the border. She couldn't even begin to grasp what strange powers were in the air, what they would do if crossed. What she did know was that on the other side of that line her sister needed her.

Following another pulse of the aurora, savage winds descended on the plateau. They impacted the princess, sending her into Kristoff for support. With Anna in his arms, he knelt and braced against whatever piece of ice or stone he could find beneath the snow. He tried to scream something, but against the force that pressed down on them, even sounds were lost.

Anna saw through squinting eyes how something broke, far in on the lake. Trapped under the onslaught of the winds, no sound made it through, but she could feel it. A sound echoed in her mind as pieces were falling from the pale figure. It was the cue she subconsciously waited for. With an explosive thrust, she leapt forward from the safety that was Kristoff's arms, her own held high in protection.

She never heard the expected crash and shattering of ethereal glass when passing the strange boundary. Only a flickering could be seen. On the other side, for a short moment, the mountain man flailed against the wind. She saw him drive his pick into the ground. His mouth moved, but nothing made it past.

Out on the ice, everything was muted and calm. She felt the crisp crunch of ice underfoot. It grew and broke off along with the beat of the light, like a living thing. The air was painfully cold, every breath a bundle of icy daggers to her chest. She held her gloves in front for inspection. Ice grew into the material. A different kind of ice from what her sister used to create – the crystals didn't blossom outwards. Instead, they permeated every fibre, making the gloves hard and crisp. Instinct told her that time was short, for her if not for Elsa.

Anna clenched her fists and burst into a run towards the centre of the lake. Her clothes began to crack under the sheer intensity of the movement. A few strides later, her long skirt was in solid tatters, her bodice was trailing pieces behind her. Supressing a fleeting thought on modesty, Anna surged on. Elsa wasn't far away now. A human shape stood next to her, seemingly made out of ice. Its dead features glittered ominously in the night. Another jolt. The last pieces of clothing broke off the princess.

She felt her skin flake.

Anna looked down in mesmerized horror how large pieces of her peeled off into dead leaves and flower petals. She dragged fingers across her forearm, causing another puff of foliage to fly off. Layers upon layers of autumn colours waited beneath. Anna blinked, set the terror aside and kept running. She knew reaching Elsa was more important. She could feel it in her gut.

The last few yards were covered in a slide, leaving a trail of frozen leaves across the growing frost. Her sister came full into view, strangely still and facing the odd creature. Their lips moved, but nothing could be heard.

Anna's voice was hoarse. So very little moisture remained. "…elsa!"

Elsa's eyes were dulling, their light glossed over by the cold. Her skin paled as patterns of frost crept inward from her fingertips. Her dress was splintering with every move she made. She didn't feel any of it, overwhelmed by the sense of awe that filler her. Winter's tale had brought a terrifying perspective. Compared to the first men in the north, her own sorceries were like the scribbles of a child having just discovered how to draw. There was power and emotion, but no finesse, no real control. It resonated within her. For all she had attempted and struggled, she had only scratched the surface.

"I never thought…" she said under her breath. Elsa was trailing, searching for words. "The things that Sigurn and Sindri did…"

Winter smiled brightly. "Ancient blood flows within the house of Aren. Though it has been long, your bond to me has not waned."

The princess called out again. "… elsa! can you hear me? please!"

Elsa's features sank. "I'm sorry," she said, averting her eyes. "But I don't think that's true." The ice wreathing her hands were beautiful, so unlike her own. "My ice just… breaks apart, no matter how hard I try."

"… get away from her …"

"No lies escape my lips," the avatar declared. "Your powers eclipse even the heroes of old. They are boundless like my skies."

She looked at the avatar, dejected. "But–"

"… esla …"

Winter interrupted, sharp and clear. "You cannot force the ice and the cold." It came closer, holding a hand between them. Frozen powers danced around it. "They will never yield and they will splinter. You must remember the love you hold within you. Let us hear the whispers of your heart." The hand returned to her chest. "Let not fear twist them. For we drink deep and make them manifest."

"… elsa!"

The avatar's arm shattered under the force of Anna's blow. She had brought down her arms in a wide arc; hands bundled together into a ball. With a savage kick, she forced the icy creature backwards. The princess seemed to say something, but Elsa couldn't hear it through the haze.

The younger girl's naked form alarmed her. Every inch of her skin was covered in leaves that seemed to erupt from her. Among the strawberry strands of hair were flowers and branches, growing and breaking off. Anna stood hunched over, facing Winter with some aggressive pose. She managed to glance back at Elsa before falling to the ground in a burst of foliage.

Elsa quickly knelt down beside her. She didn't dare touch her sister, afraid to hurt her somehow. "Anna!" she called, voice breaking. Her eyes turned to the Avatar. "What's happening?"

"A ward from the Lady of the Forest." Seeing Elsa's confusion, it leaned closer. "It is what keeps her alive in my presence. But it can only last so long before failing."

"What… how do I save her?"

Winter straightened up. "I wish no fell fate on you on your kin, so I take my leave; as I should have long ago. But to be safe, add your ward to the Lady's that you may properly repay your sister for her bravery later." It smiled, surprisingly warmly for what it was. Then, the mask broke, dissolving into crystal dust.

With each beat, the aurora faded slightly, returning dominion to the moon and the stars. Elsa carefully lifted her sister's unconscious form, cupping her face. She recalled a passage from Sigurn's tale. A kiss to protect against the cold. Letting out a slow breath, power swelled within. Anna's chapped lips touched her own.

Far in the distance, Kristoff was running towards them.

The princess opened her eyes slightly. She tried to speak, but was hushed by Elsa. "You'll be okay," the elder comforted. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Anna smirked. "… It's what sisters do."