Chapter 14

Kristoff

"Elsa, are you crazy?" Kristoff asked. "You can't seriously think that this man… Could be a God? Really?"

"He did seem to know a lot about the Old Legends." Anna said.

"And that cane, Kristoff. The God Odin is known to carry one." Elsa said.

"Why don't you just ask him?" Stian said. Kristoff stiffened.

"Fine." He poked his head through the door. The Old Man still sat at the table knocking on the wood, waiting for his promised food. "Odin, are you a God?" Kristoff asked, nonchalantly.

"Yes."

Kristoff closed the door. "See? He's just an old- wait."

"Did he say yes?" Stian asked. He opened the door, and sat down across from Odin. The Old Man acted as if nothing had happened. The other three found chairs next to the King.

"What did you say?" Elsa asked. Odin sighed.

"I guess I owe you an explanation, hm?" he asked, stroking his beard.

"I'd think so." Anna said. Odin leaned back in his chair, and leaned his cane on the table.

"I can't just come out and say I'm a God, right?"

"You already did that." Kristoff said.

"Right, right. Sorry, I'm getting old. I'm almost eight thousand."

"You make this sound like nothing! You're going to have to prove it… Uh, sir…" Stian said. Odin stood up, weakly. How could he possible prove something like this? For all they knew he was just a crazy old man who thought his cane made him a deity. He took his cane in his hand.

"What do you want to see?" he asked. A long silence followed. Anna was the first to speak up.

"Something!"

Odin nodded. He lifted his cane from the ground, and slammed the bottom of it back into the wooden floorboards. Nothing happened.

"Um, Odin… Nothing's-" Stian started to say. He was interrupted by the kitchen doors swinging open. Dishes, pots, and spoons flew into the room, hovering above their heads. The spoons banged on the dishes and pots, making a rhythmic melody. Kristoff found himself tapping his foot. Odin stood in front of them all, leading the cutlery like a conductor of an orchestra with his cane. Kristoff felt something jerk. He looked below him, and found his chair floating three feet in the air. He hung on for dear life. The table and everybody else's chairs had levitated as well. This was some magic. The chairs began to spin around the table, much to the excitement of Anna and Elsa, and much to the dread of Kristoff and Stian. The sisters clapped along to the beat of the spoons against large cooking pots.

Odin spun the cane expertly in his hand, and pointed the crook to the ceiling.

"Grand finale." he said. The silver cane rattled, and a small beam rose from the top of it. The small golden beam shot to the ceiling, sending an array of golden and white sparkles rain down from above. Odin slammed the bottom of his cane to the floor again, and everything went silent. Kristoff realized what was going to happen just in time. The chairs and table clattered to the floor. The kitchen ware floated back into the kitchen. Other than Stian and Kristoff's shocked faces, everything was normal.

Elsa and Anna were in a fit of laughter. "That was amazing!" Elsa said. Odin bowed his head in thanks.

"So… You're the God of floating dishes?" Kristoff asked.

"Poetry. Wisdom. And war. Would you rather see that?" Odin said, raising his cane.

"No… Sir. No sir." Kristoff said.

"Odin that was amazing!" Anna giggled.

"Yes, my dear. But I'm afraid we must talk about something serious." he said, taking a seat at the table again.

"What is it?" Elsa asked.

"The Man who cursed you all those years ago is coming for you two." Odin said, cutting right to the chase. What color that Stian and Elsa had in their face drained from it. Stian swallowed.

"Who is this man? Why is he coming here?" he asked. Odin placed both his hands on the table. Kristoff could feel power emanating from the table. Nobody would ever believe this. Discussing childhood problems with a God. He was just the Arendelle Ice Master, why was he so important?

"It's Hodur, isn't it?" Anna asked. Everybody looked at her, quizzically. "Hodur. Seriously? Do none of you guys remember any of the Old Legends?" Odin nodded.

"Hodur. The God of Winter." Elsa said.

"Correct. My brother, Hodur. I'm fairly certain you know the origin of the four different kinds of beings, correct?" Odin asked Stian. Stian looked surprised that he was being spoken to.

"Me? Sure. The Trolls are followers of Jotunn. The Dwarves are followers of Lindworm, and the Snow Elves were followers of Addler. But you mentioned a fourth?" Stian asked.

"Humans. Right?" Kristoff asked. Odin nodded. "We were followers of Odin, weren't we?"

"You were. It seems you've outgrown our traditions. And now you've destroyed the Snow Elves." Odin said. "Do you know who the father of these boys was?" he asked.

"Hoenir."

"My other brother." Odin confirmed.

"So… What does Hodur want with us?" Elsa asked.

"My dear girl. You destroyed the last of the Snow Elves. His domain was over all of winter and snow. He gifted the Snow Elves their powers. You've destroyed everything he stood for." Odin said. "And now, who is the last living remnant of Hodur's powers?" The God asked.

"We are." Stian said.

"Precisely."

"So he's coming to reclaim their powers?" Anna asked.

"Not quite. There is only one way to cleanse the world of a curse as strong as Stian and Elsa's. I trust you know what that is?" Odin said.

"Why did he curse us when we were children?" Stian asked.

"We are Gods, Stian. We know what people can amount to. Hodur saw something in you two. Something he hadn't seen in a human since we'd created them. Power. Pure unbridled power that Hodur thought needed an outlet." Odin said.

"Ice." Elsa gasped.

"And now he's coming for you. Nobody in the Kingdom is safe." Odin said.

"Well, there must be something you can do!" Kristoff said.

"I can hold off Hodur. For how long, who can say? But Elsa and Stian. You two need to master your powers. I'm weak and old. I cannot fight Hodur, it is against my will. I cannot destroy my brother. But you two-"

"I'm not killing anybody." Elsa said.

"There's no other way." Odin said.

"Then I guess Arendelle is freezing. I can't take ending somebodies life, even if they deserve it." Elsa said, standing up, and storming out of the room. Silence.

"She's pregnant. She'll calm down. But I agree, Odin. Are you sure there's no other possible way to stop Hodur? How does one even destroy a god?" Stian asked.

"One cannot. Unless all they stand for is destroyed, they are eternal. And as long as you or Elsa are around, and as long as there is fresh frost on the trees, Hodur will be alive and well." Odin said.

"So there's no way?" Anna asked. Odin thought.

"Unless…"

"Unless what?" Kristoff asked.

"No… No, it's complex. Something a mortal cannot pull off, even with years of training." Odin said, waving the idea away.

"Tell us." Stian said. Odin thought for a second.

Odin stroked his beard. "There has to be one who stands for winter. Somebody who controls snow or ice at all times. It happens to be a God, because we cannot die. Mortals would have to pass on the mantle. They'd have to pass on the ability... Forever!"

"Teach me." Stian said.