Down at Knapford Station, there was the biggest crowd anyone had ever seen. Engines, coaches, people, and non-rail vehicles were lined up on all the tracks in the yard and in the station. Eleven of the twelve clock-numbered engines had lined up along the main entrance to the station: Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, and Percy lined up on their respective numbered platforms, while Toby and Henrietta, Duck, Donald, Douglas, Oliver and Toad, and Emily lined up behind them. The only one missing was Thomas from platform one, with Annie and Clarabel standing there instead.
Sir Topham Hatt stood on the edge of the platform, and he could see and hear the commotion. He'd been running the railway for many years, and never once did he have every single engine of all gauges on the whole of Sodor in one place at the same time. Even some of the engines living on the Mainland had arrived, such as Spencer with the Duke and Duchess of Boxford. He was about to make an announcement, but before he could say anything, a loud whistle echoed around the station.
Percy gasped as the sound faded. "Wait… that's Thomas!" he declared.
In no time at all, Elsa and Thomas came charging into the station, along with Rosie and the Water Nokk. They saw everyone there, and they skidded to a watery stop. Thomas stopped just in front of the station, but water splashed all over Sir Topham's top hat.
Thomas felt foolish. "Oops," he said sheepishly. "Sorry, sir," he replied.
Sir Topham Hatt took off his hat and dropped it on the platform. "Hello, Thomas," he said calmly, "I'm just glad you and Rosie made it."
Thomas shifted his water tracks to let Rosie back onto the real ones, and once her wheels were back on the rails, a porter uncoupled her. "Thanks for the ride, Thomas," she said.
"Don't mention it, Rosie," said Thomas, and then he shifted into position at the platform in front of his coaches. "So, what's going on, sir?" he asked.
Sir Topham Hatt sighed, and he reached over to one of his assistants. He gave him a bullhorn, and Sir Topham Hatt spoke into it. "Ladies, gentlemen, engines, and etcetera," he declared, "thank you all for coming here on such short notice. I honestly didn't expect every single engine on my railway to come here at the same time."
"So, what's the problem, sir?" asked Edward.
"Well, I've just received a horrifying weather report," Sir Topham Hatt explained into the bullhorn. "It said that there is a very bad storm forming quickly off the coast of our island, and it has very heavy rain and wind speeds equivalent to that of a hurricane."
Everyone stayed silent for a moment.
"And that's not all," continued Sir Topham Hatt. "There have been reports from the Mainland of earth eroding and flames breaking out because of the storm. And because of all the damages and their unknown source, the railway will be closed until further notice."
All the engines sounded upset that they wouldn't get a chance to be useful.
Elsa heard everything, and she also began to worry. But as she listened, she began to think. "Wait… water, earth, fire, and air…" she thought, and then she gasped. "Wait… the spirits!" Immediately, she jumped off the Water Nokk's back and sprinted over to the platform. "Wait!" she called. "Wait!"
Sir Topham Hatt saw Elsa coming, and he was puzzled. "What is it, Elsa?" he asked.
Elsa came to a stop beside Sir Topham Hatt and took the bullhorn, then she called into it. "Everyone, can I have your attention, please?" she called, and everyone stared at her. "For those of you that don't know me, my name is Elsa. I am abdicated queen of the kingdom known as Arendelle, and I know the source of that storm!"
"Really, Elsa?" asked Thomas. "What's that?"
"The rain, wind, flames, and earth are the powers of the spirits of the Enchanted Forest," answered Elsa. "They are spirits who control the elements of water, earth, fire, air, and ice. And the reason I know this… is because I am the spirit of ice."
Everyone gasped and spoke quietly amongst themselves.
"The storm off the coast of the island is not meant to harm you," Elsa continued. "It is a warning."
"A… warning?" asked Sir Topham Hatt.
"Yes," continued Elsa. "The spirits must be receiving orders from the mother spirit to warn the island of an impending disaster. The mother spirit is an ancient river known as 'Ahtohallan', which is said to hold memories of the past."
"How do you know all this, Elsa?" asked Thomas.
"Because, Thomas," answered Elsa, "just last week, I heard the voice of Ahtohallan calling me from Arendelle to inform me of the balance between Arendelle and the Enchanted Forest being upset. And now… the same thing is happening here again, and this time, Ahtohallan is calling you."
Thomas gasped. "Wait… me?" he asked. "But… why would a spirit call for me? I'm nothing special, I'm just a tank engine."
"You're not just a tank engine, Thomas," Rosie called out, and she puffed forward. "You're… you're a hero."
"Me? A hero?" asked Thomas.
"Remember how you and Elsa saved Sodor three years ago?" asked Rosie. "It was thanks to you that we were spared from an eternal winter."
Thomas remembered Glacia from three years ago, when she nearly froze the Island of Sodor in an eternal winter. It was only because of Thomas and Elsa's collaboration that she was stopped, even when Diesel 10 joined forces with her.
"Yeah, I remember," Thomas answered.
"Well, if you could save all of us back then, you must be capable of doing it again now," Rosie told him, and then she puffed even closer to him. "Thomas, I've known you for a very long time," she told her boyfriend, "and you've always been a hero to me. Even when you caused me to change my color after that incident, I never lost my faith in you, because I always believed that someday, you'd be a hero and you'd come to my rescue."
Thomas blushed, feeling embarrassed to hear his girlfriend's words of encouragement. "Well, thank you, Rosie," he said nervously, "but… I honestly don't think I could save the island a second time."
"If the spirit Ahtohallan is calling you, then it means you have one more role to play for the island," Rosie told him. "I still have a lot of faith in you, and I know you're a very special engine. I want you to fulfill your destiny for the sake of all of us, especially yourself."
Then, Rosie reversed and spoke to everyone else. "And if you're all the really useful friends Thomas has known for the many years he's been working here on Sodor, you'd want that, too."
All the engines were silent for a moment, and then they agreed. They began to blow whistles and horns in response. They all wanted to be really useful again, and if Thomas was the only one who could provide it to them, they were willing to put all their faith in him.
Before he could say anything, Thomas closed his eyes as he thought back about his many adventures over the years. He remembered how when he first came to the Island of Sodor, he was cheeky and longed to see the world, and he received his own branch line after having a trick played on him by Gordon, pulling Henry and Edward's passengers and goods, and then saving James after his wooden brake blocks caught on fire.
Next, Thomas remembered how he'd help to bring Lady the Golden Engine back from the Magic Railroad and save her from Diesel 10, then how he united the steamies and diesels to open the airport, then how he'd found the lost town of Great Waterton, when he uncovered Hiro, the Master of the Railway. Next, he remembered traveling to Misty Island, helping to restore the Dieselworks, figuring out the history between Luke and Victor, Stephen's destiny at Ulfstead Castle, the fossilized footprints at the China Clay Pits, and saving the pirate ship and treasure found on the Harwick Branch Line from Sailor John with the help of Ryan and the miniature engines.
Lastly, Thomas remembered how Ashima, his friend from India inspired him to be himself at the Great Railway Show, then how he'd been captured on the Mainland by Frankie and Hurricane, and then how he'd become the first engine to travel to all the continents. That all led back to three years ago, when Elsa brought him to Arendelle and they worked together to save both their homes.
Coming back to the present, Thomas could see all his friends staring hopefully at him. This was going to be the biggest adventure he'd ever had in his life, and part of him believed that this would be the very last time he'd see any of them.
"Well… okay," said Thomas, "I'll go… but in return, there's something important I must ask Rosie."
Rosie gasped, and she looked at Thomas hopefully. "What's that?" she asked.
"Well, I would like you to look after Annie and Clarabel while I'm gone," answered Thomas. "If I don't make it back, I would like someone who I can trust with my life to look after my faithful coaches. But if that storm comes to Sodor and the railway closes down, please promise me that you'll keep them safe."
Rosie looked a little disappointed, but she immediately smiled. "Okay. I promise," she declared. "No matter what happens, I won't let Annie and Clarabel get hurt."
Thomas smiled. "Thank you, Rosie," he said, and then he spoke to Sir Topham Hatt. "Sir," he told him, "I don't know when or if I'll be back, but until then… take care." Lastly, he looked at everyone else. "That goes for you all, too," he added. "Please, take care of yourselves."
Elsa smiled, and she gave Sir Topham Hatt the bullhorn, then she climbed onboard Thomas again. The two of them headed off with the Water Nokk, leaving everyone at Knapford.
After Thomas left, Sir Topham Hatt addressed the engines one more time. "Okay, everyone," he declared, "you heard what Thomas said. As of now, I would like everyone to return to their shelters immediately. I can't tell what's going to happen in the following hours, but I'd rather have everyone be safe and sound. You are all dismissed."
Everyone responded respectfully, and they all began to return to their shelters. But Rosie puffed forward and was coupled up to Annie and Clarabel, and she began to pull them backwards along the track.
"Where are we going, Rosie?" asked Annie.
"Our usual shelter is over there," added Clarabel, looking at the shed the two coaches lived in.
"I know," said Rosie, "but for now, we're going to my storage shed. I want to keep you both safe no matter what, and until my Thomas comes back, I'm not leaving you two behind."
Annie and Clarabel smiled. They liked Rosie, but they especially loved Thomas, and even though he wasn't going to be around for a while, they felt safe. But all three of them were praying for Thomas to be safe, because he was their hero.
Thomas, Elsa, and the Water Nokk arrived at the southern coast of the island in no time. They looked towards the east, and sure enough, there was a thick layer of gray clouds blanketing the sky. The clouds slowly spiraled around as they spread out.
"Hmm, it's just as I'd feared," Elsa said to herself.
Thomas was confused. "What do you mean, Elsa?" he asked.
"The spirits are angered again," Elsa explained. "When I had been called to Ahtohallan before, it was to restore the balance between my kingdom and the Enchanted Forest, which was what had caused the spirits to become angered in the first place."
"So, what does that have to do with Sodor?" asked Thomas.
"I believe that Ahtohallan also has a spiritual connection with the Island of Sodor," explained Elsa, "but I really don't know otherwise." But before she could say anything, a sound echoed in her head. She looked up at the sky, and there was the symbol she had seen before leaving the Enchanted Forest.
"That's it!" Elsa declared.
"What's it?" asked Thomas.
"Thomas, look up there," said Elsa, pointing up at the sky.
Thomas looked up, and he saw the shape as well. "What's that?" he asked.
"That is the symbol which is calling me back to Ahtohallan," began Elsa, but then she stopped. "Or rather, it's calling us back. We have to get back to Arendelle right away and tell Anna and Kristoff."
"But how do we do that?" asked Thomas. "We'd need a boat to get me there."
Elsa thought for a moment, but then she smiled. "Maybe not," she replied, and then she looked at her friend. "Thomas, listen. Because the Nokk is the spirit of water, it can run on the water's surface. So maybe… because your body interacted with the Nokk's powers…"
"Then I can use my water tracks to run on the water's surface, just like it can?"
"I suppose so," Elsa said. "Come on, let's go!" She pulled on the reins of the Nokk, and it stood up on its hind legs and whinnied. Then, it quickly galloped off across the water.
"Elsa, wait for me!" Thomas called, and he hurried off behind her. Sure enough, once his wheels touched the water, his tracks kept him on its surface. Using his powers of water, he hustled after Elsa and the Nokk.
As Thomas and Elsa hurried along, their journey took them through the growing storm. As they got closer, the waves became choppier and the wind blew stronger. The rain pounded heavily on their faces as they raced through the darkness.
Even with his light on, it was hard for Thomas to see where he was going. But as he kept following Elsa across the darkening sea, he suddenly began to slow down. Elsa and the Nokk didn't notice, and they forged on ahead.
Now, Thomas was worried. "Elsa!" he called. "Elsa! Wait for me!" But his voice was barely a whisper over the howling wind, and Elsa hurried on ahead. Suddenly, Thomas heard another sound over the wind, and he turned around with his powers. As he turned… he saw something horrifying. He saw a giant tidal wave barreling straight for him!
"Cinders and ashes!" Thomas declared, horrified, and he immediately turned again and rushed forwards as fast as he could! But the wave was coming up fast, so Thomas couldn't outrun it!
After rushing along for several minutes, Thomas could finally see Elsa and the Nokk up ahead! He shouted to them as loudly as he could, but they were still too far away for them to hear his voice. Fortunately, he still had some steam in his boiler, so he blew his whistle as loudly as he could… and not a moment too soon. Just as the sound came from his whistle, the wave crested over him and smashed down, drenching him!
Elsa and the Nokk came to a screeching stop and turned around. They heard Thomas's whistle, but they only saw the wave collapse on top of him! "Thomas!" Elsa gasped in horror, and she and the Nokk hurried back to the wave!
As Elsa and the Nokk approached the site, Thomas was nowhere to be seen. Elsa frantically scoped the surrounding area, but she couldn't see him anywhere. As she worried about him, the sudden thought clouded her mind.
"Oh, no…" she said quietly, and then she gasped in horror. "Oh, no! The wave must've taken him under!" She immediately spoke to the Nokk. "I don't think we have a choice, but we'll have to go under for ourselves and find him!"
The Nokk narrowed its eyes and stood on its hind legs, then it leapt straight up into the sky! Just before it came back down, Elsa took the biggest deep breath she could. Right away, the Nokk and Elsa dived below the surface of the stormy waters!
In a few seconds, the Nokk was under the water. It looked back and saw Elsa trying hard to hold her breath so she didn't drown, but she was also frantically looking around for Thomas. Thinking quickly, its body glowed bright blue, and a shield generated around them!
Inside the shield, Elsa could suddenly feel air around her instead of water. She released her breath, and she didn't drown! The Nokk was using its powers to repel the water from around her, allowing her to maintain a bubble of air!
"Thanks, Nokk," Elsa said, sounded relieved, and she looked around again. Underneath the dark, stormy waters, there was very little light to be found around her, except from the Nokk's body.
"Thomas?" Elsa called. "Thomas, can you hear me?" But there was no sound to be heard in reply.
The Nokk knew Elsa was worried, so it dove further under the water. But the further it went, the more Elsa worried about Thomas. What if the Nokk didn't give him the ability to swim with his water powers? And what if the water had taken him down deeper than Elsa could survive? But the worst thing to be racing through Elsa's mind was…
If Thomas was down there, how would they get him back up?