CHAPTER NINE: Sin of Aren

Elsa woke up in the castle library, sitting in her father's chair near the fireplace. She held her head as she slowly sat up and saw herself surrounded by stacked books.

"How could you put the book up and then forget where you put it?" Kristoff yelled from their mother's secret room in the library where Anna was also.

"I don't know. Elsa had arrived with someone who needed help. Just shut up and look!"

Nearby, Olaf was searching unexplored book shelf space. When he turned around and noticed Elsa, he yelled, "Hey, you guys! Elsa is awake!"

Anna rushed in and knelt by Elsa, "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. No luck finding the book?" Elsa asked.

"No! I can't believe I lost the one book we need," Anna exclaimed.

"Guys! I found it! I found it!" Olaf screamed happily and Anna snatched it from his stick like hands.

She laid it on Elsa's lap and opened it to almost the end of Aren's Journal.

Elsa read it aloud, "'Today, I went out into the woods and crossed paths with a boy with hair as white as snow and his eyes were milky white, like that of a blind person. I reached out with a helping hand and brought him back to Arendelle and did all I could to help him. He told me his name was Alek and that he was from the Enchanted Woods, where the People of the Sun dwelt.'"

Elsa and Anna looked at each other, Elsa asked out loud, "Alek was Northuldra, like Mom, but why would they turn away one of their own?"

"What else does it say?" Anna asked, eager to hear more.

Elsa continued, "'In time, we became best friends that were closer than brothers. During my rule over Arendelle as it's first King, he was by my side no matter what adversity came our way. He proved valuable as a mediator between me and the people, gaining their support as we united and molded the Kingdom into what it was today. Arendelle was a paradise until that fateful night when-'"

Elsa frantically searched for more, "Where's the rest? The page is missing, like it was burnt."

Anna quickly took the book to look for more, while Elsa buried her face in her hands. Tears came to her eyes when the last time she saw Alek. His smile. His kiss. "We were so close…so close to finding answers about what happened to him."

Anna rubbed his back, just as frustrated as Elsa was.

Olaf came over to Elsa and rubbed her leg, "Elsa, I don't know if you noticed, but your face is leaking."

Elsa managed to get out a laugh before wiping her eyes with her hand. Suddenly, she heard Ahtohallan call. "I hear it. Ahtohallan is calling me."

"Of course! Ahtohallan is the River of memory! It should be the place where you can find answers of Alek's past," Anna explained, "Go, Elsa!"

Elsa immediately left. Elsa came to the shore, where Nokk suddenly appeared and took her to Ahtohallan. As she raced across the frozen Dark Sea, she saw Ahtohallan, yet it was glowing with colors of the sun. Alek!

She quickly rushed through the tunnel to the space where her answers were found. Alek was on his hands and knees, surrounded by flames coming from his being. "Alek!"

Alek sat up and looked back at her, tears pouring down his face. In front of him, Elsa saw statues. "I remember. I remember everything," Alek began to speak, his voice tainted with pain and rage.

Elsa kept her distance as she studied the statues. Aren, with a raised sword standing over Alek who was being cradled by an older woman, perhaps his mother.

"When the four spirits went to war, the Phoenix was sealed within me as a child. The Northuldra drove my mother and I from our home. I was separated from my mother and was befriended by Aren. He took me in. He gave me food. He gave me friendship. He gave me shelter. He gave me clothing. My mother found me and lived with me in Arendelle. We believed…that our torment was over, but Aren and all the people betrayed us," Alek explained, his voice choking with emotion. "They dragged us into the courtyard and threw rocks at us. Aren KILLED MY MOTHER."

Elsa looked away briefly before Alek continued, "She was the only person to love me, despite the monster inside of me…and the one I called brother took her from me."

"Alek. What you have been through, was unjust. You never should have gone through that," Elsa calmly tried to alleviate the situation.

"Yes! You're right! I did nothing! I didn't ask for this curse! I did nothing, and the world demonizes me as a spawn of Hell?! Why?!"

Alek looked into Elsa's eyes, expecting an answer, yet she remained silent.

"WHY?!" Alek yelled, making Elsa jump.

Alek stood up, "If my mere existence makes me evil, then THAT'S WHAT I'LL BE!"

Elsa tried to say something, but fire exploded from his body. Elsa went black. When she woke up, the frozen river of Ahtohallan was destroyed, reduced to its original state, a river flowing into the Dark Sea. Elsa stumbled, emotion overtaking her. Why did this have to happen? To him?

Elsa looked up to see Nokk suddenly standing before her, "I understand why you were so afraid! Alek was frozen to prevent this! You also didn't want him recovering his memories of the wrong done to him! Despite what everyone fears of him, he's not a villain! He's not the monster! He never was! The Phoenix is and everyone was against him because you and the other Spirits put it in him! He didn't get to have a say! All of you forced this on him!"

Nokk looked towards the mainland, where a bright orange glow brightened the horizon, which Elsa noticed too. "He's going to burn everything down! The Enchanted Wood and Arendelle! If I am to stop him, I need your help! It's on you to make this right!"

Nokk looked back at her and Gale, the Wind Spirit blew around Elsa as she said, "Let's go."