CHAPTER TEN: Winter's Kiss

As the Enchanted Forest burned, the people and reindeer retreated from the flames, heading for the clearing beyond the four stones marking the boundary between the Northuldra and Arendelle. As the Rock Giants came into contact with the flames, he groaned loudly and struck the earth with their hands angrily to put out the flames. The people watched as the only home they knew was being consumed by flames.

"Our home," Yelena said, her eyes starting to swell with tears.

Honeymaren and Ryder hugged her from behind to comfort her. Suddenly, they saw snow flurries fall from the sky over the area burning. Gradually the flurries became a snow storm that put out the flames.

"Elsa," Honeymaren gasped. "She's back!"

The snow was then recalled into the sky and evaporated, revealing patches of bare trees of their former home. Elsa then ran through the woods and past them, riding Nokk with Bruni and Gale flying by her side. The Earth Giants followed her slowly from behind.

With a firm gaze, Elsa rode for Arendelle to find it surprisingly still standing. I'm not too late.

Anna watched from a balcony as she noticed the orange glow on the northern horizon and knew something wasn't right. Something was coming, she could feel it. Elsa, where are you?

Kristoff hugged her from behind and spoke in her ear, "I'm sure she's okay, Anna."

"I hope so," Anna replied, rubbing his hands that were around her waist, "Why do I still feel like something bad is going to happen? Kristoff?"

She turned to see him looking up and she turned to see what he was looking at. In the sky above, with large wings of fire, hovered Alek who looked down on the Kingdom of Arendelle. "Alek?!"

His eyes cleared revealing a hellish red gaze and his hair turned black as night. "No. Not anymore." His voice was different as if someone else was speaking.

Kristoff immediately grabbed Anna when a pillar of fire struck the castle and a whirlwind of flame set fire to several of the buildings in the Kingdom. Kristoff ran with Anna in his arms to escape the castle that was starting to burn. Olaf screamed while running with them.

Once out, Anna watched in horror as her home was burning. "Evacuate the city! Get everyone to the cliffs!"

The bell was rung and everybody fled the town to the cliffs, heeding their queen's plea. Where everyone was safe on the cliffs, the people were struck with emotion as the watched the only world they knew burn down. Anna fell to her knees about to surrender to her grief and Kristoff wrapped his arms around her as she began to cry. Anna then saw snow begin to fall like a winter storm, putting out external flames. Elsa!

A strong gust of wind blew into homes to put out the fires before flying into Alek and knocking him from the sky and onto the castle roof, where he was met by Elsa.

"Please, Alek. Don't make me do this," Elsa trying to stand firm.

"Alek was dead as soon as he surrendered himself to me," the Phoenix laughed.

"No. He's still in there. I know he is," Elsa struggled to keep her voice from shaking. "I won't hurt you."

"Then just stand still," the Phoenix yelled, shooting fire from his hands at her, but was immediately blocked by a protective wall of ice created by Elsa.

Nokk rushed the Phoenix and tried to trample him under hoof, but was vaporized instantly by the flames, only to come out of the waterfall nearby and running for him again.

Gale created a ball of wind around the Phoenix, sucking the oxygen out of it's host and causing the fire emitting from his body to die out.

"Gale, no!" Elsa yelled and Gale stopped immediately.

The Phoenix, through the use of Alek's body, rushed Elsa with fiery hands, but was repelled by Elsa who unleashed ice from her hands, which didn't hold him for long.

He flew into the air and sent a volley of fire down upon Arendelle.

Elsa quickly created a shield of ice to protect the city, about as big as the one she created to contain the wolf from Anna's nightmare all those months ago.

Anna and the citizens all looked to the right of Arendelle as the Earth Giants joined the fight against the Phoenix, throwing boulders to knock him out of the sky. He quickly dodged them and with a fiery fist, slammed it into each of the giants' faces, knocking them down effortlessly.

Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf all turned when the trolls arrived behind them.

"This was what I had feared," Grand Pabbie said to Anna.

"It's okay. Elsa and the other spirits are here to help," Anna replied.

Bruni tried to lunge at the Phoenix, but was effortlessly swatted aside.

"But will it be enough?" Gran Pabbie asked with fear and doubt.

Elsa and the other spirits kept fighting against the Phoenix, yet he kept repelling all of them. She looked over at Anna and everyone else on the nearby cliff. I have to draw this fight away from Arendelle! "Gale!" she yelled after looking at her castle on the North Mountain and pointed.

Gale blew strongly against the Phoenix and drove him away from Arendelle in the direction Elsa wanted. Gale also picked up Elsa and carried her to her castle swiftly.

The Phoenix crashed through the roof of Elsa's castle and noticed A large snowman monster and an army of smaller snowmen. He shot fire everywhere, vaporizing them all. Elsa entered through the front door, slamming it open.

"You're only delaying the inevitable, Ice Spirit," the Phoenix taunted with Alex's voice. "The Northuldra. Arendelle. You and the other spirits…I'm going to burn it all!"

She tried to subdue him with a concentrated blast of ice, but he just lunged at her, grabbing her throat as his eyes became like fire. Elsa grunted loudly as he slammed her into the wall of her castle and raised her off her feet, choking her.

His hair and eyes partially reverted to normal briefly, "I don't have much time, Elsa. As long as I have him contained, you and the Spirits have a fighting chance. That's why they sealed the Phoenix within a human vessel. It's the only way to stop him."

"I don't know how," Elsa managed to get out.

"Yes, you do," Alek said, "You have to kill me."

Elsa's eyes filled with tears as she shook her head, "No-"

"Or he'll kill you," Alek finished before the Phoenix regained control. "That…will NEVER happen again. He's buried to deep now," the Phoenix laughed.

Elsa began to burn up inside with anger and pain as she swiped with her hand, swatting him around the room with her powers.

The Phoenix tried to get back up, but stumbled back on his back. Elsa approached the Phoenix as he laughed at her, "There's the Ice Spirit. You may want to be carefull or you'll kill him. Is that what you really want?"

Elsa knelt down, her tears coming back. "No, but I have to. Alek, forgive me."

The Phoenix's eyes widened as Elsa pressed her lips against Alek's. He could feel her magic going into him.

Elsa watched as Alek froze into a solid ice statue, like when Anna's heart was frozen years ago. She tried to contain herself, but the tears overtook her and she crumbled to the floor next to Alek's ice body and wept bitterly.