Nathan felt the ice that had coated his sleeves crack as he tried to put his arms down, finding the action far harder than it should have been. One of the larger chunks separated from his sleeve and fell to the ground, shattering into hundreds of pieces. Nathan looked up and stepped out of the door again, hoping that he wouldn't be slammed with Anna's powers again.

Thankfully enough, Anna seemed too concerned to throw any more ice at the moment. She was rushing towards him with a very concerned look on her face. She reached Nathan and started trying to pull the pieces of ice off of his arms, saying "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I was just…" her voice trailed off and she redoubled her efforts to remove the ice from his arm. He made a few attempts to wave Anna off, but she didn't seem to get the hint. Instead of saying anything, he put some of his magic into his shadow form spell and let himself dissolve. Anna gasped and recoiled, than let it out as she realized what Nathan was doing.

The remainder of the ice dropped to the ground. Nathan let his body reform out of the shadow and looked around. A few of the guards around the yard were staring at him, shaking their heads and rubbing their eyes like they were trying to shake off a daydream. A small smile came across Nathan's face as he wondered what all of them were thinking. Most of the guards had seen his magic during the battle, but there must have still been those who hadn't.

Elsa and Kristoff ran up, both looking worried. Elsa put a hand on his shoulder and said "Are you alright?" He nodded and said "Fine now, yes." He shook the arm that had taken the brunt of the blast, starting to notice the feeling in it fade away. He waved his hand dismissively and said "Go back to what you were doing, please, don't let me distract you."

Anna turned back to Elsa and said "Well, aside from accidentally hitting Nathan, how was that?" Elsa shrugged and said "It was alright… a little unfocused, but good overall. I think you need to get a little better at controlling the power you pull, but it was pretty good. I think you were scared when you saw that you were hitting Nathan, and the fear made you lose control of the power that you had. I think you probably would have kept going if I hadn't cut off your energy."

Anna gave Elsa a surprised look and asked "You cut off my power? I thought I did that…" her voice trailed off again and she looked sad. Elsa spoke, sounding like a mother encouraging a child "You'll learn how to handle it soon enough. Just keep practicing until you get it."

Anna turned away from them and tensed her arms. Like a wave, blue light moved through her veins like it had last night, moving from her head down to her arms and coming to rest in her hands. She brought her hands up and put them side by side, palms facing out directly away from her. Her shoulders dropped as she let out a deep breath, than every muscle in her arms seemed to tense as a jet of bright blue snow was expelled from her hands. Nathan could tell that it was different that the one that he had been hit by, that one had had plenty of ice in it.

Anna's feet started to skid slowly backwards and her arms seemed to have trouble staying steady. Nathan, Kristoff, and Elsa all took a few steps back from Anna, putting some distance between them. Anna continued to blast the stream of snow for a few seconds before the flow sputtered and stopped. Anna cursed softly to herself and tucked her hands into her armpits before turning to Elsa with an agitated look and exclaiming "It's still happening! My hands are still freezing!"

Elsa nodded and said "you're letting too much power escape. You need to focus. That's the only way that you are going to get a rein on things. Your emotions have just as much sway on what happens as your thoughts. If you let them wander than your control will falter."

Anna let an annoyed his through clenched teeth. "I'm trying! Emotional detachment doesn't come as easily to some of us as it does for you." Elsa looked hurt by Anna's comment. Anna seemed to realize what she had said, and started to apologize, but Elsa interrupted her. "It isn't emotional detachment, its emotional control. Maybe if you…" she stopped, catching herself. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing "Anna, I know that this is frustrating to hear, but you have to work through it. I hope that I can help you with that."

Anna looked at Elsa, an angry expression on her face for a moment before her anger broke and the expression of anger changed to one of guilt. "I'm sorry Elsa. I won't let my temper get away from me again, I promise."

Elsa smiled and said "I know you didn't mean to. Keep practicing, I know you'll get it. Keep trying!" Anna turned and started to repeat what she had already done. Kristoff elbowed Nathan's arm and whispered "Did you have this much trouble when you were learning your powers?"

Nathan smirked, imagining what would have happened if he had only had as much control over his powers as it seemed that Anna had over hers. Things would not have turned out well for anyone. "No, I had much more than that. Unfortunately, I also didn't have as much base ability as her either. Bone runes were hard to come by, especially when you're just a little kid. My powers were slow to grow, but I guess the exchange was control. It's something that I've never had an issue with."

Kristoff nodded than turned his attention back to Anna. Elsa asked "Do you think that I could improve the link between me and Anna so that she could use it easier? I think that would work, don't you?" He thought a moment before replying "I don't know it that's a great idea. Give her more time to learn it as it is before you go and change it." Elsa nodded and said "Alright. I just want to make things better for her."

Nathan watched Anna shoot a few more blasts of magic before turning back to Elsa and asking "When you said that Anna knew about that conversation we had, what did you mean? How did she figure it out? How does your link with her work? I know you explained it a bit, but I would like to know a little more about it." Elsa nodded and said "Ok, ask away."

Nathan drew in a deep breath, feeling the cold air sting his lungs, than started talking "How specific of a feeling can you get through it? If Anna learned about our conversation through it, it must be able to convey pretty specific information, right?" Elsa put her hands together and said "Well… sort of. It was really fresh in my mind, and I was thinking about it. I was focusing on the link, and so was Anna. My feelings were very…. exposed. I don't know if she knows exactly what happened, but she at least has a pretty good idea."

Nathan still didn't fully understand what the link did as a whole, so he asked "So it you can only get feelings through it?" Elsa scrunched her face like she was weighing one option against another, then said hesitantly "I don't think so. I'm not entirely sure, but I think that eventually we might be able to speak through it as if we were whispering to each other. When that will happen I don't know."

Nathan nodded. "That's just what we need, you two being telepathic." Elsa smiled at the joke, but didn't laugh. Nathan was reminded of the ominous conversation that he had had with Lee. He started to feel anxious that he still didn't know what Lee wanted to tell her. It was important, but she had said that it wasn't urgent. Those two things didn't really seem like they went together very well. He said "When do you plan on talking to Lee?" not doing a very good job of hiding his eagerness. Elsa gave him a puzzled look and said "I don't know, whenever Anna tires herself out. You seem rather worried, is everything alright?"

He shook his head, trying to dispel his worries and said "Yes, everything is fine. Lee said that she had something important to tell you, but she said that it wasn't something that she wanted to rush. Keep on making sure that Anna doesn't kill anyone."

Elsa turned back to watch Anna. Nathan tried to pay more attention to what Anna was doing, but she just kept doing the same thing over and over. He eventually just zoned out, not very interested in Anna doing the same thing with minor variations each time. Anna seemed to tire quickly from her new powers, but it was more likely that he had dozed off watching her.

The sun was in a very different position from where it had been, signaling to Nathan that a few hours had passed. Elsa was shaking his shoulder and saying "Are you listening to me?" Nathan blinked a few times and shook his head before saying "Sorry, what? No." Elsa gave Nathan a smirk, then said "Anna is too tired to keep going." He raised an eyebrow, not expecting the powers that she was using to drain her physical strength. Elsa must have known what he was thinking, because she said "It takes mental strength for her to pull power through the link. I could send power to her myself, but I don't think that doing that would be a good idea."

Anna walked over to the trio and asked "Well? What did you think so far? Am I getting a handle on this power well?" Elsa, Kristoff, and Nathan all looked at each other, none of them really being sure what to say. Elsa was the first one to break the silence, saying "You've made a lot of progress today, but you still have a long way to go, I think. I think that the most important thing that I can say is to just keep at it."

Kristoff was the next one to speak, saying "It looked to me like you got a lot better today! I know that I can't really speak to this kind of stuff, being a boring normal person and all, but I really think that you are doing well." Anna embraced Kristoff in a tight hug. Elsa looked over them at Nathan with an expectant expression, and Nathan tried to think of some complement he could give that would still be applicable to Anna using powers he hardly knew anything about.

He thought for a moment before saying "You seem to be taking to your power quite nicely. I think you'll learn quickly." Elsa gave Nathan a look that seemed to say "really?" but smiled and shrugged, figuring that it was enough. Anna broke her hug with Kristoff and put a hand to her head.

"I'm not feeling very good." She muttered. Kristoff put an arm around her shoulder and started to lead her back into the castle. Elsa waited for Nathan, holding a hand out to Nathan and nodding her head over towards the doors. Nathan gave a small smile and took her hand, allowing himself to be lead to the doors up the steps. As she led him, she asked "Do you know anything about what Lee wants to tell me? You didn't really give me any idea of what to expect."

Nathan shrugged and replied "She didn't give me any really idea of what to expect either. Other than it being not good." He knew that saying that might not be the best encouragement for going and talking to her, but it was the truth. The two entered into the castle and felt the warmth of the air seep through his armor and making him slightly more comfortable.

Kristoff continued to guide Anna away. Elsa watched them go for a short time before looking around and saying "Where do you think that Lee is?" Nathan shrugged, and Elsa spoke to one of the servants walking around "Do you know where the women who came in yesterday and was given a room is?" The woman bowed and said "I believe that she is in her room, your Highness." Elsa nodded thankfully and said "Thank you."

She turned back to Nathan and started walking, motioning for him to follow. He did, and as they walked Elsa asked "Do you really not know anything else about what she wants to talk about?" He shook his head and said "No, I don't think so." He hesitated for a moment before saying "Well… it might have something to do with a little conversation that she had with the Outsider, but I dint know." Elsa gave him a questioning look, and he clarified "When she was out getting the runes that you asked her to, she found a shrine. I don't think that I've told you about those, but they are basically a place where if you take the rune from it, than the Outsider will speak to you. I don't know what the rules for them really are, but I think that Lee talked to the Outsider when she took the rune. I think that the conversation has something to do with the thing that she wants to tell you. But, again, I don't know."

Elsa nodded and said "Whatever she is going to tell me, I hope it isn't too bad. I don't think that after the whole situation with Gothel that I could take much more bad news."

The pair came to the door that led into Lee's room, and Elsa knocked softly on the door. A few moments later the door opened and Lee stood in the doorframe. She looked up at Elsa and said "Oh! I wasn't expecting you so soon today." she sighed and said "I guess better sooner than later. I only want to tell you though" she said to Elsa "not Nathan. I don't think this was for him to hear. You can tell him after, but I think you should consider it first."

Elsa looked from Lee to Nathan, unsure, than let out a breath. "If you want to tell me something than you should tell both of us. I trust Nathan with my life. If you want to tell me something than you should tell both of us."

Lee gave Elsa an uncertain look, but dropped her shoulders and got a defeated look on her face. "Alright, but please don't blame me if he hears something you didn't want him to." She turned back into the room and walked in. Elsa and Nathan followed her, Nathan closing the door behind them. Lee took a seat in a chair, and Nathan and Elsa sat next to each other on the bed. Lee sat in silence, looking at them for a moment before saying "I… I broke into someone's house to get one of the runes, and I had a vision while I was there. The thing, you called him the Outsider, right? He appeared to me and gave me a warning about things that would happen."

Elsa sat forward and said "A warning? What kind of warning? What's going to happen?" Nathan put a hand on Elsa's hand, trying to calm her so that Lee would finish talking. She looked over to Nathan briefly before letting out a deep breath and turning back to Lee.

Lee took a deep breath and said "The Outsider told me… I think I might be able to remember what he said word for word, hold on…" She thought for a moment before looking back up and saying slowly in a voice that was deeper than her regular voice and very monotone, like she was imitating the Outsider.

"Hello Lee. You look a little jittery, is everything alright? Maybe you are feeling a bit anxious about breaking into some stranger's house. I wouldn't blame you of course, if you knew the person who lived here I doubt you would have come here. Or is it that you are feeling guilty for turning your back on the woman who saved you? She's dead now, but you wouldn't want to forget what she did for you, would you? And after all the things that that woman did for you, you turn coat and side with her enemies at the first chance? I think that speaks volumes about you.

Speaking of you, I have some news that you may not like. Things in Arendelle are stable now, but they will topple over and spiral out of control eventually. I would place it within the year, but it could be sooner than that. You will be a key factor in determining the outcome of it all. Your cooperation could save Arendelle, or destroy it.

Playing a bigger part than you, however, will be Nathan. I would suggest that you keep an eye on him. I can see everything, past, present, and future, and I know that it will be his blade that starts the chaos. If you really want to serve Queen Elsa the rest of your life I suggest that you try and keep a reign on his… violent tendencies. He might seem reformed, but a life spent learning to enjoy killing is not dispelled easily. Some people say the only thing more damaging to a plan than an incompetent novice is a bored master.

Now, take my rune and go. Share what I have told you if you wish, it will only make things more interesting for me if you do. Things are working, gears turning as they always have, just out of your sight, and I wait on the edge of my seat to see what will happen when you find them."

The room was filled with a heavy silence for a few seconds after Lee finished. Nathan was sifting through the information carefully, trying to consider every possibility as he was used to doing with the Outsider. His words often had double meanings and various implications, but one thing had been very clear. Nathan himself would be the one to start a conflict that might bring Arendelle to its knees.

He looked over at Elsa, worried about how she would take a message like this. He breathing was heavy, and her eyes were darting around as she faced the floor like she was thinking as quickly as she could. Nathan looked at Lee and asked "How can you remember what he said so well? I doubt that you really could have remembered what he said word for word."

Lee gave Nathan a look that seemed to be insulting him and said "I worked as a bartender gathering information for a long time before I met Gothel. Remembering people's exact words was very important part of that."

Elsa looked up from the floor and at Nathan, looking him over like he was some kind of a threat. He put his hand on top of hers again and gave her a comforting hug with his other arm. She returned his hug, and he whispered into her ear "I promise, no matter what happens, I will protect you. Even if I have to give myself to do it, I will keep you safe. I promise."

Elsa nuzzled her face into his shoulder, than stood up. Nathan stood with her, trying to keep comforting her. She addressed Lee and said "Thank you for bringing this to my attention." in her commanding royal voice, wavering uncertainly. Nathan walked her out of the room, thinking of where he could take Elsa to make her feel better. The first place that he thought of was to Anna. As they walked through the halls Nathan looked at Elsa, and he felt something he wasn't used to. It wasn't the urge to protect her because she wasn't in any imminent danger, but something else. He wanted to find out more about what was going to happen, even if he couldn't stop it. He wanted to comfort Elsa, but he doubted that there was anything that he could do for her right now.

He dropped her off at Anna's room, explaining the situation briefly to Anna and Kristoff before making sure that Elsa was comfortable and leaving. He wanted to stay, but he had another important task in mind. He made his way down to the courtyard again and flagged down a guard. The man looked at attention and said "Yes sir?"

Nathan said without inflection "Get me a horse."


It had been hours since Nathan had left the castle. The cold air whipped and stung at his face and his whole body felt cold. The sun was ducking below the horizon, robbing the snow covered world of its warmth. He cursed to himself as he realized that he might have to return soon to avoid freezing to death.

He put one final large burst of energy into his shadow sense spell, paying close attention to anything out of the ordinary. He was about to give up, when suddenly a twisting mass of shadow appeared in the middle of what he would guess from the flickering lights was a campfire. It was about two hundred feet away, off the way of the road where no one was likely to find it. Nathan climbed off of his horse and made his way towards the fire. There wasn't anybody near the fire, making Nathan feel a bit uneasy about approaching it.

He did however, figuring that anyone camping out in the frigid cold wouldn't be much of a problem. The fire came into view as he bushed a few bushes out of the way. The smoke off the fire coiled into the sky, blocking the shrine that lay on the opposite side of the fire. Nathan walked over to the shrine and, with one final look around the area, grabbed the rune from the shrine.

The Outsider appeared above the shrine and looked down at Nathan, a smug look on his face. He clicked his tongue a few times before saying "Nathan, you never can just let things happen, can you? Your concern is clear enough. You want to know if you can stop the event that Lee told you about. I'll save you an ambiguous answer. No. You might be able to change small things about it, but you will start it."

The Outsider folded his arms and leaned back in the air. "You put a lot of energy into finding this shrine. I hope you found it worth the effort. Once things get started you'll see much more clearly. War is coming Nathan, and when it does you will be one of the most important pieces on the board."

With those final words, the Outsider faded away, leaving Nathan alone in the flickering light of the fire. He sighed unhappily and clenched his fists, turning back to his horse. It seemed that whatever was coming, he would have to take when it came, and no sooner.

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Author's thing:

Well, that's the last chapter of this one. I know that I said that I would have the first chapter of the next one ready when I did this one, but it occurred to me that that was stupid and would detriment the new one so I decided I shouldn't do it. When I finish the first chapter of the next one I will post HALF of that one and have a link to the rest of it on the new story at the end. that is the battle plan, and I hope that it will go good.

So now that this arc is done, I think that it would be fitting to ask this: what did you think? For my first venture into fanfiction I think that it was alright, but I would appreciate some opinions on the matter. What did I do that you liked? What did I do that you didn't like? Tell me all of this please!

So thanks for reading, and I will have the next "Arc" "Section" "Thing" out soon. stay tuned for that.