Chapter 21

Hans

He knew he'd have a tough time proving it to them. He knew he'd have to do more than just promise to be better, so he'd gone and rallied military support for Arendelle, should they need it. He'd recruited three bearers of the elements, and he'd gone out to personally search for Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and the King in case they needed his help. Now, Hans was glad he did.

He tried to convince them he had changed, but something in him made him question himself. What it his head went bad again? What if plots entered his mind? What if he... He tried something he'd regret? The last time he'd been given probation, he'd worked his way back to Arendelle, illegally, and teamed up with the Ice Elves. After he had arrived home after being sent back again, he'd been accused to treason, and sentenced to death. He'd sat in a jail cell for months, waiting. News came to him that Queen Elsa had married the other one, whom Hans had also tried to kill. Later, news came that they had a child. Hans knew he was a monster, but something touched him. He wanted to help. He thought it a false feeling, switching sides all of the sudden, but the feeling had persisted. Hans tried to keep it that way.

"A bit further." Kristoff said, as they climbed a small, sloped hill up to the black tower standing before them. Hans had been to Istanbul twice in his life, and the Castle seemed to be a mirror image of Hagia Sophia, except made completely out of jagged obsidian, albeit on a bit of a smaller scale.

"Ready?" Anna tossed a rope down a deep, dark hole in the side of the Castle.

"I'll go first." Elsa volunteered.

"No, Elsa. I'll go first, I don't want you getting hurt." Hans offered.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Elsa said, sliding her slender body into the dark shoot. She slid down, until she vanished into the shadows. Anna was next. Kristoff then shoved Hans foreword.

"Go on." he said. Hans understood why he didn't want to leave him to last. Maybe he'd try something. Alright.

Hans lowered his body into the darkness, and began to crawl. It was tight. Hans often got claustrophobic, and the darkness wasn't helping his situation either.

"Look out for the drop." Kristoff yelled from behind him.

"That what- AHHHH!" Hans shrieked as he slid a few yards downward. He was now underground. He kept going until he reached an opening. Anna and Elsa were waiting for them at the bottom. Hans leapt from the shaft, and stretched his body, glad to be out of the tight spaces. He looked around, though, to find them still in mild darkness. He heard Kristoff fall from behind him.

"Let's go." Elsa said, starting through the doorway, into a large hallway. The group walked for a good ten minutes, to no avail. It was a straight hallway that went on forever into the inky blackness.

"This isn't right..." Kristoff said, squinting as he walked.

"Kristoff has got a point. We should be in the main chamber by now." Elsa observed.

"Is Asle... Changing the castle around?" Anna asked.

"I don't know-" Kristoff stopped, as he heard a small noise from behind him, "Just keep moving."

Boy, did they. Hans had to stop for rest a few times, before continuing on the the group that never seemed to tire. They entered a room, about the size of the Throne Room in Arendelle.

"Hmm... No, this isn't right. This isn't the room from last time." Kristoff rubbed his chin.

"What makes you think that?" came a voice. The room suddenly expanded, with sharp, jagged spikes of stone remaining, making the room a deathtrap. Above them, sitting in black throne, was Asle herself.

"Surrender!" Hans drew his sword. Asle scoffed, flicked her hand, and black mist blew into Hans' hand, forcing the sword from his grip. It fell uselessly across the room, and shattered against the wall.

"You!" Hans heard Elsa call. "Where's Stian? Where's Olaf?" she demanded.

"Oh! That reminds me! There's someone I want you to meet." Asle clapped her hands. A slab of obsidian behind her sank into the floor. From the darkness emerged... Somebody.

He was clothed in what Hans could only describe as a male version of Elsa's icy dress, but it was solid black, like the castle. He wore a robe, hood drawn. His hair stuck out, and contrasted against the robes, being a bright platinum blonde, just like Elsa's. His blue eyes almost seemed to pierce right through Hans' heart.

"Stian!" Elsa smiled. Stian said nothing. Elsa hesitated, then tried again. "We're here to save you!"

"I don't need saving." Stian said.

"You don't?" Anna asked. Stian shifted his foot in such a way, that the whole room seemed to rotate. Maybe it did. It was dark. Hans stood back to back with Elsa now.

"What are you-?" Elsa called, before it happened again, this time throwing both of them to the floor. Hans looked around desperately for Kristoff and Anna, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Silence!" Stian called, putting his palm flat against the wall. It curved and bent, making Hans motion sick. It was like he was standing in a large bubble of tar, constantly moving, growing, and shrinking.

"Stop!" Hans called. To his surprise, he did. Hans looked around. The room was now even bigger, almost the size of a cathedral. Elsa struggled to her feet.

"Stian! Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Asle's shown me a lot. She's told me about what you've done." Stian growled. Hans couldn't see the Dark Queen anymore, but Stian was still clearly in front of them.

"She's what?" Hans asked, before being thrown to the ground again, the floor moving underneath him. Elsa remained unmoved. She shot a blast of ice towards Stian, easily deflected it somehow with his hand.

"Who's the real monster here?" Stian asked.

"She is!" Elsa tried throwing ice again, to the same effect.

"I can hear her now, just like Anna." Stian said.

"Just like..." Elsa's voice broke. Hans stepped in, and charged Stian. He didn't know what he was going to do, and it turned out it didn't matter. Hans clenched his hand into a fist, which was grabbed by Stian. Hans looked into his eyes, terrified.

"You're scared aren't you?" Stian asked. Hans nodded. Stian smiled. His grip on Hans' hand increased. Hans cried and begged for him to stop, but his grip only increased.

"Please!" Hans pleaded. He heard a few sickening cracks, before Stian flung him to the side, Hans' back hitting the hard wall.

"Stian! How could you-"

"Silence!" Stian called again, trying not to face Elsa. Hans didn't dare remove his glove, his hand was definitely broken.

"Stian, look at me!" Elsa begged.

"I'll...I'll kill you... Both of you..."

"Look at me!"

"Soon!"

"Look at me!"

"No!" he cried. Stian lowered his head, and fell to his knees. "Stop yelling!" he wailed. Hans didn't hear anything. "Stop! I'm sorry! I'm trying!" Stian roared. Elsa ran to her husband, who tried to hold her back. Hans could see his breath, and hear the air crackle. It was colder, now that he thought about it.

"Stian! Listen to my voice! I know you can hear me." she said, soothingly.

"Stop it! All you, stop it! Gah, the voices!" Stian clutched his head. Ice spread all over the floor.

"What happened?" Elsa asked.

"Asle... Olaf is okay... No, stop it! Just stop it!" he begged.

"Who are you talking to?" Hans asked.

"Look at me. Stian." Elsa tried. Stian let go of his head, and slowly turned to the Queen. The room shifted again, but Hans knew this time that it wasn't Stian. In front of Hans stood somebody similar. Like Asle had looked like Elsa, this guy looked like Stian.

"Elsa, stand back." he said.

"Sitna? No! I'm not-"

"Elsa!"

"I'm not leaving him!"

"Where did you come from?" Hans asked, still clutching his hand.

"Nobody showed up in The Valley of the Living Rock for two days. I got worried. It looks like for a good reason." Sitna said, examining the room. It turned again, until a whole new scene unfolded. Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf knelt on the ground, surrounded by black fog. Hans knew the fog was trying to force them to bow. Asle stood in front of the three, a twisted smile across her face. Her eyes shifted to Hans, then to Sitna. They grew to the size of saucers. She lowered her hands, and the fog faded. All three of her captives fell to the ground, exhausted.

"But... You're-" Asle starting.

"Angry." Sitna finished. A flick of his wrist, and more black mist gathered around Asle. She struggled, but Sitna had overpowered her. "Go!" he said. Elsa looked up to the man, and nodded.

"Come on." she said, trying to heft Stian up. Hans came to her aid, and threw his arm around his shoulder. Elsa threw Stian's other arm around her shoulder, as well.

"Elsa..!" Anna realized. She rose to her feet, and started for her Sister. Anna froze when she got closer. "It's cold."

"Come on!" Hans called.

"This isn't good." Kristoff said, picking an unconscious Olaf up into his arms.

"Leave me alone!" Stian screamed.

"Who's he talking to?" Anna asked.

"Myself." he said calmly. Hans saw Sitna flex his fist, and a whole section of the large wall sunk into the ground, bathing the whole castle in sunlight. Asle flinched in pain.

"Hurry!" Sitna pleaded.

"Stian, what did you say before... About Anna?" Elsa tried. Stian said nothing. They ventured out into the sunlight. Out into safety.

Or so they thought.