CHAPTER EIGHT: The Curse of the Phoenix

At the Valley of the Living Rock, Elsa and Anna knelt by Alek's side as Gran Pabbie placed a hand on his forehead. He felt back fearfully, alarming the other trolls. "A strong magic is at work here," Pabbie said as the other trolls helped him back up.

I knew it! Elsa eagerly asked, "Is it related to his curse and the mark on his back?" She needed answers.

"Yes, but I must warn you Elsa," Grand Pabbie came close and created pictures in the air by waving his hand. "The spirit that cursed your friend is the strongest of the four spirits, the original Fire Spirit, also known as the Phoenix. In the beginning, it was an entity of life through destruction, of justice and vengeance. It turned against humanity, forcing the other spirits to oppose it and save humanity. Since the Phoenix was too strong for the combined magic of the other spirits, it was sealed away within an infant boy."

Elsa looked down at Alek with pity. You never had a chance.

Anna noticed and comforted her sister as Grand Pabbie continued, "The boy was cursed by the angry Fire Spirit within him, causing to never age and cause the people to drive him away, because the mark on the child's back became a taboo for those who lived during Aren's rule. However, the Enchanted Woods needed a Fire Spirit and thus Bruni was born."

"Wait, you're saying Alek was born in the days of Aren?!" Anna exclaimed.

"I found him frozen in Ahtohallan. He's been there for years," Elsa thought out loud.

"Indeed. Alek is from a world long ago," Grand Pabbie confirmed with a nod.

Anna remembered the book she mentioned to Elsa earlier, "Elsa! The book I mentioned earlier! It was Aren's personal journal. Mother had it in her secret room. Aren's best friend was someone named Alek. This could be him!"

Elsa looked back down at Alek again. "Anna, go find the book."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to enter Alek's spirit and tame the Phoenix," Elsa answered, which alarmed both Anna and Grand Pabbie.

"Wait, what?!" Anna exclaimed.

"Elsa, you must not take the Phoenix lightly. The combined power of the other three couldn't stop it. It's power will be too much for you!" Gran Pabbie explained with urgency.

"I have to try," Elsa replied, "I am the Fifth Spirit."

"No, Elsa," Grand Pabbie insisted firmly. "I will not risk unleashing an untamable force of nature! The power of the Phoenix is a raging storm, it's mere presence is a hurricane!"

Elsa stared at Grand Pabbie firmly, "If you don't help me, Alek will die. You, the Northuldra, and the other Spirits may be okay with that, but I'm not."

Grand Pabbie sighed tiredly and looked at the faces of Anna, Elsa, Alek and his family of Trolls. "Alright, Elsa. I am entrusting you. Take my hand and place yours on Alek's heart."

Elsa did just that and Grand Pabbie warned, "Do not try to fight the Phoenix. Remain humble and reverent, Elsa. Appeal to it and we may resolve this peacefully."

Elsa was then pulled into Alek's spirit, which was a void of darkness. In the distance, she saw Alek standing with his back to her. As she ran to him, the floor beneath her feet glowed with ice. "Alek?"

Alek turned to her.

"That's your name, Alek," Elsa explained.

"Alek?" he asked trying to remember by holding his head with a hand.

Elsa held his other hand and smiled. "Yes."

Alek began to look afraid and stepped away from Elsa, "You shouldn't be here. You need to leave. Please. You'll only anger him."

"The Phoenix? I've come to talk to him in hopes he'll stop your fever," Elsa explained.

Suddenly, a massive fiery force manifested behind Alek. Elsa flew back onto the ground and shielded her eyes from the brightness. She could barely stand in it's presence due the strong sense of hate she felt.

Alek's eyes were like fire and began to speak for the Phoenix, "Why have you come before me, Ice Spirit?"

Elsa replied, "Alek is my friend. Your curse on him is killing him. Please spare his life."

"Such good manners for a human. I am not doing anything to him. His spirit is weak and cannot keep me buried. The mark on his back is the seal. It's crumbling because he's weak. However, he keeps resisting me. That is what's causing the fever. He thinks he can keep me buried, but little does he know…I AM THE PHOENIX AND I WILL RISE AGAIN!"

The power erupted from him, knocking Elsa back further. Elsa tried firing ice, but it was just like Gran Pabbie said, it wouldn't work.

"Some Fifth Spirit. Let me show you what real power looks like!"

Elsa watched in horror as a pillar of fire came at her, but Alek broke free and shielded her, unfazed by the fire.

"My spirit is stronger than you know," Alek told the Phoenix and it roared angrily at him.

Elsa tried to get up, but Alek pulled her back down. "You can't stop him."

"I have to," Elsa replied anxiously, but she became silent when Alek's hands pulled her face close and he kissed her on the lips.

Alek smiled at Elsa's shocked face. "There she is," he teased her, making her laugh. "Thank you. Elsa. You were my best friend. The best I could ever ask for. I was afraid, and you gave me comfort. I was alone in the world, and you didn't abandon me."

Elsa smiled in Alek's hands. "There's only one way for you to defeat him."

Alek released Elsa and began walking back to the Phoenix.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you a fighting chance," Alek replied before stopping before the Phoenix and held out his arms. Instantly the Phoenix surrounded Alek in flames.

"Alek!" Elsa yelled, trying desperately to use her powers, but they still wouldn't work. When the flames cleared, Alek stood. The symbol on his back burned away and from his back came fiery angelic wings.

"I am the Phoenix and I have risen again," his voice said before a blinding light exploded like thunder in the void.

Elsa barely woke up. She was on the ground. The trolls were scattered. Anna, with torn clothing, ran to her. "Elsa! Elsa, are you okay?!" Anna yelled, but her voice was muffled. Elsa 's eyes looked at the Valley of the Living Rock and saw it was destroyed by flames. Her eyes met Grand Pabbie's eyes, which were filled with sorrow, "What have we done?" All went black.

(A/N: I have been thinking a lot about other story ideas. This particular story is starting to run dry on me, so this story will be ending within two or three chapters. I'm also working on typing my first book and I'm nearing the final conflict of the story. As for other fanfic ideas, I was thinking of doing an Iduna & Agnarr love story. I've recently became interested in that subject after seeing Frozen 2. Be honest. What do you think? Should I leave that alone and try something else or run with it?)