Chapter Thirty-One

"Some souls are connected by an ancient calling beyond worlds"

"For our leader!"

"OORAH!"

"And for our honoured dead!"

"OORAH!"

"We're gonna kick their asses! No one can stop us now!"

"OORAH!"

Silvanna chuckles as she observes the Arendellian soldiers cheer their hearts out. The Battle of the Grasses, as the battle has been known two days before is a resounding success for Arendelle's side. Yesterday they had collected and prepared their dead for their final rites. Despite their victory after all, thousands had also fallen on their side. The skirmisher reserves and the frontline spearmen (or cannon fodder) especially suffered grievous losses. During the ceremony, Silvanna herself had given a speech about the bravery of the souls that had fallen on that battle earning her the endearment once more of the army. Apparently word had gone out that it was her plan that earned them the victory on the field. There was also the small fact that Silvanna had been fighting at the frontlines that garnered her everyone's loyalty. Sure General Horst and Lord Blackwall also had participated in the battle but most of the times they were at the back and never at the frontlines unlike Silvanna and Lord Viktor.

Now it is time for celebration of their success and victory. Normally Silvanna would never allow the army to relax even in their success. She is paranoid enough on worrying that their enemy might attack them while they have their pants down. The Trojans of Troy learned that lesson the hard way when they celebrated their victory against the Greeks and got slaughtered for it. Horst in fact had agreed on her reasoning for it.

The report from Price and his Rangers who had taken no time off whatsoever changed that. Apparently like any army united by fear and pressure; majority of the Nogrodion tribes dispersed in multiple directions unwilling to follow Mao Zheng anymore. The former prince of Xi sudden cut and run action at the first sign of trouble during the battle had cut whatever trust and willingness to follow that the desert dwellers have for him. Sure he still commands a grand total of at least ten thousand men that remain loyal to him but the rest have dispersed at all directions trying to find a way to get out of Lescanna and sail back to their homeland. Without a leader to unite the many tribes of Nogrod they are prone to infighting. That is why Fa Mulan and her fresh soldiers from the Xi Empire are right now out there hunting down the stragglers of the escaping army preventing them from regrouping whatsoever into a large group that can pose a threat to the Arendellian army as a whole.

Silvanna shudders at the thought of the Chinese Disney Princess. That is a heap of trouble that she does not want to think about. Apparently this world does not revolve on Arendelle alone as she first expects it to be. Now that she's thinking about it, it should have been plenty obvious what with the Kingdom of Corona being present. If she recalls her memory right the movie Tangled that her granddaughters in another life so adored settings is the kingdom of Corona. Silvanna mentally kicks herself for missing it and makes a mental note to herself to keep an eye out on things here that relates back to the real world.

"You're thinking again,"

Silvanna blinks as she brings herself out of her musings and turns to stare at the beautiful face of Amelia standing beside her with two cups of cider at her hands. The black haired beauty has donned off her usual black armour and instead is wearing a tight silver dress that bares her entire chest from the neck below to the top edges of her breasts. The dress has no straps and shows off also her shoulders all down to her arms. Silvanna can't help but look down appreciatively at the pale skin of her squire and the upper part of her breasts that dangles almost dangerously half in, half out in her current attire. Blame it on hormones but Silvanna is a guy in her previous life and she does like girls, period.

"Like what you see?" Amelia smiles teasingly making Silvanna blush as the realization sets in that she is caught red-handed ogling quite shamelessly her squire's body.

Recovering from the surprise, Silvanna smirks as the mischievous part of her rears its head up.

"And if I say, yes Amelia. Am I going to get a reward?" she replies making sure to make her tone give off a purring note on it.

She giggles as Amelia turns cherry red at her counter avoiding her eyes for a few seconds before coming into some kind of decision if the sudden morphing of her face into one of seriousness is any indication.

"Yes, if you will so oblige me," she replies in her own teasing note catching Silvanna off guard at that. She didn't exactly expect Amelia to say yes. Her previous teasing is all in good game. She had never gleamed from Amelia in their previous interactions that she swung that way. Heck the two of them had even bathed together and the other woman had not shown any interest whatsoever before then.

"Speaking of which, there is a reason why I am here seeking you out," says the black-haired beauty taking a sip from the cup of cider she is holding while at the same time turning a blind eye at the flabbergasted expression of the Knightess. "I bring word from one of Queen Siora's messengers. She told me that she needs your presence at her tent as soon as you can make yourself available. Apparently it is something of quite importance to her and for the future of this island,"

"I see," Silvanna simply nods her professionalism kicking in once more removing the traces of their previous teasing before. "Did you have any idea where her tent is Amelia?"

"Last I heard, the tents of the natives are gathered on the southern part of the camp. Do you want to go there now?" asks Amelia.

"No time like the present," Silvanna shrugs as she sips her own cider. "Gives us more time to party with the troops later if we manage this now,"

"Very well, this way my lady," Amelia gestures as she walks in front with Silvanna following her through the partying camp of Arendellians.

The Knightess can't help but smile as she walks through the throng of people. Many are gathering over bonfires with their friends, usually with a spit of a rabbit, boar, pig or foal turning above the fire. The land of Lescanna is a rich one filled with wildlife and greens that is edible for consumption. Before its fall against Nogrod, one of the small kingdom's main attraction is its quality of food. Lescanna has some of the best cooks in the land thanks to the number of wildlife present in its forestry regions. Ale is also aplenty with the soldiers alongside the occasional wine for a noble boasting about his deeds during the battle. All in all, everyone is in a festive mood. It helps that as she passes by, calls of her name and title from the men follows her making Silvanna smile as she waves and nods at them in return. Silvanna has to give credit to Horst for training the soldiers of Arendelle to be professional even with some in their inebriated state. None of them have hollered to her in a disgusting manner. At least not within her hearing which is fine by her whatsoever.

It takes about twenty minutes before she and Amelia finally reach the part of the camp where the natives have set up their tents. Unlike the soldiers of Arendelle, the natives' version of a party is fire dancing and smoking some type of weed that Silvanna does not recognize. Also a mock wrestling fight seems to be going on between some men while the others cheer them on. The Knightess would have taken the time to watch more of them if not for the pressing issue that Siora requires her audience. As it is, she asks a nearby guard for the directions of the Queens tent before heading in that direction.

"Well this is it, and it should have been obvious," Amelia points out at the rather large tent at the middle of the camp of the natives.

Silvanna only snorts wordlessly before nodding at the guards stationed at the tent for permission. Getting a wordless affirmative in return, she wastes no time pushing the flaps and entering. Sky blue eyes blink in admiration at the scene that greets her. The tent might look unimpressive other than its size when viewed from the outside but inside it gives off a homey feeling. There's a makeshift fireplace at the far end with a long table at its side and a set aside area where a wardrobe is leaning. Pelts and rugs are scattered all over alongside the occasional pillow. It seems as if the entire tent is designed to be one big bed where one can relax on any spot of the floor. Silvanna has to admit that the set-up of the tent seems to be the exact opposite of everything the Knightess knows about the down to earth Queen of the Natives.

"Speaking of her, where is she?" Silvanna thinks to herself looking right and left of any sign of Siora.

Without warning something shoved Silvanna hard at the back catching the Knightess by surprise as she lost her balance falling forward to the soft pillows at the middle of the tent. Fearing of being under attack, Silvanna instinctly tries to stand only for a pinprick to suddenly poke her forearm making Silvanna gasp as something hot spreads from her arm to all over her like wildfire. Standing groggily she almost topples as she can feel her sense of balance skewed.

"What….?" Even her words are slurred and Silvanna focused instead to the form of Siora at the entrance of the tent smiling at her.

"Hey there pretty doll, you don't look so good?" her voice is teasing as she approaches the sweating and groggy Knightess who is trying her best not to see in a blur. Even her magic is acting wonky for some reason.

"I guess the extract that imitates the result of being drunk works after all," she simply says smiling with all her teeth at the sweaty and confused Knightess.

"You…..you," Silvanna slurred as the native queen approaches her with an extra sway in her hips discarding pieces of her fur attire till she is standing in front of Silvanna naked as the day she is born.

Silvanna loves Elsa, period. However being a completely straight guy in her previous life, Silvanna likes women as any hot-blooded guy would. So it's not exactly surprising to say that she can feel her brain short circuiting as a very beautiful and naked athletic female form saunters towards her. It does not help that said female is someone she admires both as a person and as a leader. Like her after all, Siora became someone in a world dominated by men. And better than any leader, she leads by example and at the front. She had fought side by side with Silvanna sharing blood, sweat and tears together. There is just that something, a bond formed when you fight with someone at the battlefield. It is not something that can easily be brushed off.

Siora has finally reached her and Silvanna flinches as both hands of the native queen caress her face before circling over her neck pushing their bodies together though Silvanna is still clothed compared to the brown-haired beauty. She smiles once more disturbing Silvanna at the eagerness shining on those orbs of hers as she eyes the exposed skin of Silvanna's collarbone.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," she simply says softly before without warning pressed their lips together, her hand going automatically to the toned ass cheeks of Silvanna making the Knightess "eep" in surprise at the bold action. The kiss is needy and wanting and Siora's hands seem to be desperate as she tries to unbutton Silvanna's shirt and pants.

Silvanna wants to shout stop as the realization sets in that she's about to be bedded for the first time ever since coming on this world. Plus the fact that it's not Elsa. Guilt wormed its way over her stomach as she remembers her promise to the beautiful princess to wait for her till she's twenty-one. But part of the Knightess wants this. The weariness of war weighs heavily on her and Siora is offering a release that any soldier would give an arm and leg for. Maybe Elsa can forgive her just this once. Besides, it's not as if she needs to know right? Right?

Siora pulls back from their kiss and Silvanna blinks as she realizes that at some point of her heavy thinking, she must have been pushed to the ground seeing that she's flat on her back and her clothes seem to have disappeared leaving her in nothing but her customized white lacy underwear. If not for the fact that she's heavily disoriented already and part of her is surrendering to this, she might have blushed hard as Siora turns to the other female who is standing at the entrance of the tent wide-eyed with her hands beneath her dress.

"There's room for one more girl, if you want to join," the native queen simply says to Amelia who wastes no time kicking her shoes off.

Two hours later, one of the native guards would be wondering as to why there is a silver dress outside the queen's tent.

"Alright men, ease up for five minutes. Haleth, you're on watch!" the firm but steady voice of Bard, Bjorn's son seems to echo on the empty snow fields around them.

It has been five days, five since Elsa chose to left Arendelle alongside Ashe to follow Constantine's advice on finding the source of the sickness of the Malichor. So far the journey had been eventful for Elsa. The Crown Princess of Arendelle after all never once had left her home due to being self-imprisoned because of her powers. A large part of Elsa is scared out of her wits of course. This is her first time travelling outside the borders of Arendelle with a group of people she barely know. She desperately wished that Silvanna is with her. If not for the fact after all of the dire need of her people, she would never have allowed herself to go. Thus clamping up her fear and focusing on an imaginary form of her friend and inspiration at her side, she manages to get a grip on herself throughout the journey.

As said above, it had indeed been eventful. Elsa lost her lunch more times than one with being all new to the sea. If not for Rose De Sardet's steady efforts of talking to her and keeping her occupied, Elsa would have guessed that she would had spent the entire journey curled to a ball and doing her damnest to keep what's inside of her stomach inside. Ashe after all despite being a friend of Silvanna is professional and cold as a winter icicle snubbing of Elsa's efforts to befriend her. Constantine is the same with him muttering words beneath his breathe as if talking to himself before focusing on the distance as if seeing something that others can't. The sailors under the leader of a man named Vasco also seem intimidating for Elsa. They would make lewd comments about her making the Crown Princess feel horribly uncomfortable. If not for the friendship of Rose, Elsa would have jumped off the ship. She still after all hates ships due to her parents dying on one.

Part of Elsa feels awkward about Rose though. The Legate of the Congregation of Merchants more than once she caught red-handed looking at her ass, chest and hips with a gleam that she sees only in Silvanna. Elsa is both horribly confused and nervous. She's okay with Silvanna doing it (she prefers it in fact) but with Rose, it feels a little off. Sure the Legate is beautiful and easy on the eyes with her brown-reddish hair and large chest that even Elsa finds her attractive. Elsa however does not want anyone other than Silvanna eyeing her that way. So far Rose had simply been a friend and Elsa appreciates that.

She had breathed a sigh of relief though when they rendezvous with the Nords under Bjorn who had awaited them at the drop off point. There are twenty of them including the big man with his massive longbow. Thanks to her close association with Silvanna, the hairy and loud warriors of the North welcomed her as a long lost sister-in-arms. It was obvious though that they didn't respect her and Elsa can't blame them. The Nords are warriors first and foremost and they respect strength and fortitude of character. She does not possess any of the two attributes. Still being the liege of Arendelle and out of respect for Silvanna, they guarded her and watched over her as they followed Constantine to the far North of Arendelle. Apparently the source of the Malichor comes from one of the mountains there, or rather from inside one of the mountains there.

Part of Elsa is thankful for her powers as she marched with the men. The northern you go up Arendelle, the colder it gets. That is why they chose not to bring horses since the cold will kill them despite it being "summer snow". Everyone is bunched like giant teddy bears with coats except for Constantine who seems unaffected by the cold as he continues muttering to himself. Elsa herself is wearing two coats only instead of the four or five that the others do. Her powers after all make her immune to the freeze but she wears the proffered clothes to hide that simple fact.

"Are you alright princess?" the cheerful voice of Bard makes Silvanna look up to the bearded of Bard looking down at where she is sitting.

"Yes, yes, just a little cold and tired but I'm good," answers Elsa with a smile making sure to give off the impression of her teeth chattering. She can't help but wonder how in the world is Bard a ray of sunshine even though in their bleak conditions. Even Rose seems to wilt under the barrage of freeze.

"Okay, don't worry princess. Our guide told us that we are almost at our destination's end. Just one more trek before we arrive on the entrance of that cave," says the man bowing a bit before heading off to give more positive outlooks to the others chattering from the freeze leaving Elsa alone on her own corner.

To say that Elsa feels both nervous and excited would be an understatement. On one hand she knows that whatever it is they are going to see soon would be a challenge. Part of her wonders if she would be forced in fact to use her powers. Elsa might be afraid of them but she had done some practice on them (basically clothes designing since Elsa loves fashion), but its better than nothing. On the other hand she is excited because with this they would finally be able to find the cure for the Malichor that is plaguing Arendelle. On a personal note it would also end this journey of theirs. It hasn't been exactly kind for Elsa seeing that her physical endurance is somewhere close to zero. The continuous trek hurts her feet. So seeing finally an end for the journey is a welcome sight indeed.

The last leg of the trip is uneventful with more cold and ice. Even if Elsa is unaffected by the extreme negatives of the weather, the trek is treacherous with many loose rocks. If not for the Nords that knows every trick in the book of mother nature's survival guide, Elsa would bet that on their own, their small group would be dead twelve times over. As it is, it is just a relief when they finally come under the shelter of the entrance of the cave.

At least the relief lasted ten seconds at least.

"RAWWWRRR!" before any of the members of the tired group could calculate the origin of the sound. A black mass from the gloom inside slams straight to one of the Nords ripping the poor man apart with hands transformed into claws.

Elsa barely manages to flinch when another two black figures follows the first one heading straight towards their group. This time however everyone is more ready. One of the Nords strode forward hefting his heavy shield using it as a wedge by slamming it at one of their attackers. Another draws his massive two-handed battle-axe and wields it like a bat hitting smack face first that the force of its impact sends the flying figure off the side of the cliff. Too engrossed however is Elsa of the fight that she fails to notice the figure from before leaving its now dead victim with a caved chest before pouncing on her sending her falling.

Fear grips the Crown Princess of Arendelle as she finds herself on the ground face first with the figure clawing up her legs steadily. Acting on instinct she tries to kick it on the face with her fur boots but the figure simply shrugs off the blow like its nothing before pushing itself up towards her by using her lower limbs as handholds leaving bloody furrows behind.

"Get off me! Get off me!" Elsa tries and kicks once more but the figure simply doesn't care as it claws up once more that its head is somewhere near her ass. Then Elsa feels it.

Sharp blinding pain suddenly erupts on her rear end and she can't help but shriek in fear and pain. The thing has bitten one of her ass cheeks, the teeth cutting through thick coat and silk before finding purchase on soft warm flesh underneath. Then just as fast as it came, it ends. The figure of Rose comes charging in holding one of her rapiers that she without hesitation plunged at the skull of the thing biting Elsa making it slack.

"Are you alright?" she immediately asks Elsa as Bard and one of the Nords also came rushing in with black blood coating their fur coats. Apparently another five black figures have appeared and assailed the group while Elsa is having her ass bitten.

Elsa silently nods as she accepts the helping hand from Rose standing gingerly on her feet. The wound still stings but she can at least endure it at the moment. "What are they?" she asks looking down at the blackened mess with Rose's rapier still attached to its skull.

Now that she's looking at it up close and observing it, she notices that they are….

"Human, or at least former human," it is Constantine who answers nudging the black form with the sole of his boot. "Corrupted by darkness, bitterness, despair awakened by foul sorcery,"

"What?" Elsa simply blinks at the weird cousin of Rose who promptly upturns the body face up making everyone around it gag and for good reason.

The face if it is called a face looks like someone had burnt and carved it with a rusty knife. Deep gouges mar its features which looks like dried paper filled with worms, maggots and the occasional cockroach. Both eyes are missing on its face and its teeth are rotten yellow in colour.

"Oh, I am so going to get an infection from that bite," Elsa can't help but mutter remembering the wound at her ass. She can't help but imagine that some of those worms might right now be feasting on her open wound.

"Don't worry princess, we'll get it checked out once we have decided what to do. Speaking of which, what shall we do now? Shall we turn back or press on?" says Rose looking at everyone involved minus one Nord.

"These things, there would be more of them?" asks Bard looking at the black figures that is not-human-anymore.

"Most likely," Constantine simply shrugs. "The source of the foul sorcery lies deep within and my best guess is that being this close to the epicentre of the corruption have turned our former sorcerers into these,"

"So if we press inside, what do we do?"

"We get rid of the curse of the sorcery that is causing this sickness. I can feel it everywhere around me poisoning the Earth, using the very energies of the land to fuel its ugly result. If we can remove the source then it will stop. The Earth will purge itself of the sickness and the land will be free,"

"But that means going inside, yes?" Bard simply says looking at the open gate heading towards the gloom inside.

"Yes, it is not far. It's very near in fact," Constantine shrugs.

"Very well, inside we go. Men form up! We march in unison with everyone protecting the Crown Princess," barked Bard catching Elsa by surprise as she finds herself manhandled and right at the center of a diamond formation with Nords at her front, back, left and right. Rose has taken her position at Elsa's right with Constantine at her left.

"We stop for nothing and no one! Understand? Now come men, LET'S GET EM!" Bard roars the time honoured Nordic war cry sending the Nords marching in a cadence forward like a moving tank.

Elsa is not afraid to admit that she is scared out of her wits. It has been almost past two years since the Debacle incident but she never forgot the bloodbath that it is. The sound of fighting, the cries of men dying, metal biting each other and the sound of guns releasing their deadly ammunition to people. She remembers the bone crushing nervous fear as she fought for her life as her kidnappers did their utmost to kidnap her that day.

"RAAAAAH!" Elsa flinches hard as a black figure emerges from the shadows of the cave leaping over towards them. It is followed by another, then another and another until black things are leaping like frogs from all directions.

The Nords to their credit do not break rank. Sure some of them flinched and looked worriedly at the approaching monstrosities but none flee. All of them stood their ground. Wielding their war-axes and hammers, they club and smash the oncoming members of the black tide that dare come near their row of shields. Bard himself is wielding a simple steel sword compared to his brethren that he wields expertly one-handed. The same goes with Rose as she dual wields her rapier and sabre cutting limbs that reach toward her. Behind her ever the support is Constantine reloading the pistols as the powerful buck shots prove themselves as good fire support. Ashe remains at Elsa's side covering her with ice arrows of her own that freeze those that manage to get behind the guards of the fighting men. Unlike her, the Frost Archer is already known for her magic thus she is given the liberty to openly flaunt them no problem.

Of course it's not as if it's smooth sailing. The black figures act more like rabid animals rather than humans ignoring the blows thrown to them by the Nords in exchange for them getting into grips with their targets. Another four of the Northeners are pulled from the line and torn to pieces with another breaking through their lines to head straight towards Elsa. It is only the timely intervention of Rose De Sardet who manages to cut off the outstretched limb heading towards Elsa's neck that saved the Crown Princess from being strangled.

As it is, they make good time. In the matter of twenty minutes, they have finally pushed deep into the cave towards an indoor cavern with Bard landing the last blow at one of the black ones trying to claw its way through his shield.

As the adrenaline of the battle finally passes through, everyone is silent as they observe the cavern. It is pretty obvious after all that this is the source of the sorcery. If not for the woman chanting eerily to what seems to a bone hanging on a pillar of stone, then the spring of what seems to be sickly green goo flowing to a larger spring of clean water is indication enough. Of course everyone is stunned with no one willing to take the first step forwards to the chanting woman. The Northeners after all are a suspicious lot believing in sprites and spirits. It would be natural for them to be unnerved. Ashe and Rose on the other hand are simply unwilling to step forward and challenge the unknown. Both are veteran warriors and had experience with facing magic enough to know that jumping forward sword swinging is the most ideal way of getting oneself killed. Elsa on the other hand is unnerved and plain afraid, period. Nothing left to be said. Constantine on the other hand…..

"YOU ABOMINATION! YOU POISON THE EARTH WITH YOUR FOUL SORCERY!" he roars pistol drawn towards the chattering woman.

"Abomination you call me," it suddenly rasps standing up catching everyone by surprise as the figure is human, or at least mostly human.

Elsa nearly chokes on her own spit. The figure might once have been a young woman, and beautiful too. She is wearing furs that have seen better days and her hair is a mess looking more like a rat's nest than that of a human. What's most appalling though are her eyes. Her pupils are plain black with the nerves around her face heading towards it like ugly veins. Her teeth is yellow and look more like fangs.

"…there is nothing more abominable than killing our god," the thing rasps. "This is vengeance plain and simple. You take our people's lifeline to the spirits. I repay you by taking your lives,"

"AND DAMAGING THE EARTH?!" roars Constantine in utmost fury.

"An acceptable casualty on my people's road to vengeance. You killed our god, Ahtohallan and burned down my people's home. I will make sure that each and every one of you suffer the same fate,"

"Wait!" Bard suddenly interjects. "You're one of the Northruldans aren't you? I remember you now. You're that young woman wielding that crazy staff. Your name, I remember you, Helley, Hally, Honey… something,"

The thing's black eyes only narrow as they land on the Nord. "And you're the one leading the barbarians that burned our home and led to the killing of our god. I remember you now. Honeymaren, I once was called before I surrendered my soul to the shard of my god to bring about this plague. Now Honeymaren's gone and what's left is VENGEANCE!"

Her last word is punctuated by going on all fours like a wild animal hurling itself forwards towards Constantine who lets loose with his pistol point blank. It should have been a clean hit but the former human of an abomination moves and twists like an insect bending in impossible ways that it dodges the attack as if simply walking. Bouncing on the walls like a ping pong ball, it charges towards Constantine who is busy reloading. One of the Nords immediately breaks ranks circling his battle-axe above his head pushing the thing away from Constantine. With the new threat, it veers off and bounced on the right wall before shooting like a bullet at the Nord who was caught off guard at the sudden manoeuvre. Slamming like a judgement of the gods at the man, Elsa feels as if her heart is about to come out of her mouth as the man is literally bisected in two with the thing sinking into the darkness of the caves.

"Cover me while I deal with the sorcery here!" Constantine's sudden yell brings Elsa back out of her slump as she finds herself being hauled by Rose De Sardet to the Nords who have made a circle around the weird man as he takes roots, rocks and plant leaves from a satchel at his side while kneeling facing the altar. Elsa placed herself without question at the middle of the altar.

Her heart is beating like a drum inside her chest. This level of spookiness eyes trailing on the dark trying to find either hair or hide of their enemy is worse than facing all those black thingies from before. At least you can see those; here? It feels as if a snake is stalking them slowly.

Without warning the attack comes from the left. The thing appears with a shriek catching one of the Nords off guard as he is lifted unto his back before being slammed to the ground. Immediately the claws and fangs of the former human start to shred his back, his screams echoing on the empty cave.

The Nord beside him tries helping him out by charging forward axe raised but the creature simply grabs the axe's handle with its claws before smacking the face of the Nord with it cutting his face in half and sending his body flying for good measure.

Bard and Rose immediately charges forward swords drawn with another Nord at their side. The insect thing simply hisses and splutters like an angry steam engine, limbs flailing, one making a glancing blow at the Nord supporting Bard and Rose knocking him flat on his face. Before the other two could react to cover their fallen comrade, the thing breaks through fangs going to the throat of the fallen Nord shaking his neck rapidly before a ripping sound separates his head from his body.

Rose slashes at its exposed flank making it screech before one of its limbs grabs Rose and throws her at the cave wall like a rag doll. Before it could charge to finish off the Legate of the Congregation of Merchants though, an arrow made of ice slams at the side of the creature encasing parts of its lower body from the hip down stopping it from its charge. Elsa spares a second to see Ashe with her bow drawn and preparing another shot. A shriek sounding too loud for comfort makes Elsa look back and freeze as she realizes that the creature has abandoned its previous target and opted to another one, her.

Elsa feels like a statue as the thing half drags, half pulls its wounded body towards her. She cannot move, fear has paralyzed her and Elsa can feel her heart sinking as she sees her upcoming doom slowly comes towards her. She can see its remaining limbs straining for a jump towards her and Elsa knows that the moment it charges, it would be her doom. Why can't she move? Tears appear in her eyes as her body simply refuses to follow her commands.

The creature leaps and someone without warning shoves Elsa at the side sending the Crown Princess of Arendelle at the floor of the cave. Bitter shrieking and snarls makes Elsa look back to see Constantine at the ground at his back clutching a rifle in front of him between the snarling lips of the creature who are slashing and dicing at the man below it turning him to ribbons. The Nords wastes no more time. With the creature immobilized and busy, Bard immediately slams a battle-axe at its side only to be sent flying as the thing smacks him away like batting a fly. It returns to trying to bite through Constantine who raises the rifle again but the thing simply ignores the hard wood and lunges at the chest of the weird young man. Tearing noises immediately sounds followed by pained grunts of Constantine as his chest is shredded.

A powerful "TWANG!" without warning echoes on the cave and Elsa watches in awe as the ice arrow of Ashe this time slams like a judgement of the gods at the insect, its head twisting back. Now that Elsa notices it, the ice arrow has managed to make contact at the forehead of the thing making it still immediately as it falls at the cave floor beside the bloody form of Constantine.

Slowly the Nords start to gather all around it, their weapons ready . Elsa cannot blame them for being cautious. The insect had been wily and dangerous, jumping everyone when they least expect it after all. The head of the insect thing suddenly twists to the side and everyone jumps back weapons raised.

Elsa watches in horrific fascination as the eyes of the thing open once more and this time looking at her directly. The eyes though are not black but pale brown and….human.

"In another time, in another life. You would have been my friend, and lover," it rasps before the light of life on it finally disappears; and with it, the death of the curse of the Malichor with the sorcery broken with the efforts of Constantine on the altar that is now blue in colour instead of the sickly green.

Elsa lets out a breathe of relief. They have finally lifted the curse. She looks though at the still bodies littering the caves.

"At what cost though?" she can't help but ask to no one in particular.

…..

Author's Note:

Hey readers. Im sorry I updated so long. Been extremely busy with life plus nets down here at our place for weeks. Anyway I hope you like this chapter. Ive put an end on the Malichor Arc of Elsa since I am planning to finish this fic soon.

DodemGM thanks for the awesome review. I really appreciate it. Hope to see your name more soon at the review sections. I do enjoy comments and opinions plus reactions.

Azaira thanks for the review also. Don't worry I plan to beta my work once Im done with the story.

Padme99 Guest Review. Thanks yours is the longest Ive read so far. Thanks also for the suggestions and comments.

This chapter is 6400+ long. Please do give me your opinions for this readers hehehehe thankieeee.