Chapter: 28 Reunion

The people of Arendelle have endured the wildest day of their lives. With storms swirling overhead and a mysterious, assassin-filled vessel drifting towards our docks...things are only getting weirder for my subjects. At this point, the most Mattias and the others can do is trust me. After the troops are ordered to stand down, I have a detachment sent down to retrieve those onboard. As they are escorted towards the castle, the realization finally hits me: The Eye of Eden has worked.

My heart leaps at the sight of Madam Nia, Samira, and Beatriz as they enter the courtyard. Their unique assassin robes sway with the rising winds while several warriors trail behind them. They all appear baffled as to where they're being escorted to until they see Siv and I at the top of the stairs.

"I can't believe it actually worked," I utter.

"Sky sister!" Samira shouts and stomps up to me with open arms.

"Sky what?" I grunt as she squeezes the life out of me in a crunching embrace.

"Dios mío," Beatriz remarks. "She hasn't stopped calling you that since we met up. Because we heard your voice from-" Beatriz points upward.

"Just what kind of mess did you get yourselves into?" Madam Nia grumbles until Siv pulls her aside.

"I was right," Siv explains. "I was always right about Ahtohallan. The crystal is real and now the Templars have it."

"But there's good news," I assure and all glares turn to me.

"A Templar is in possession of a Piece of Eden," Nia intones. "How could there possibly be good news?"

"Hans is using it for himself," I reply. "At least for now he is. He's got it out for Arendelle and is draining the Enchanted Forest of its powers." I grievously look to my sister. "Along with its spiritual guardians. The point is, he isn't leaving with it because he's trying to make a statement."

"Meaning we have a chance to make this right," Siv adds. "Long has the Order stood against the Templar threat. No matter how spread thin we've been, we've always managed to prevail."

"Well I didn't come all this way to surrender," Samira intones and wraps her thick arm around me. "Sister Anna needs our help, so I'm standing with her."

"It's a miracle you've stayed alive this long without us," Beatriz teases. She squints upon noticing the scar on my cheek. "That's new." She brandishes the burn scars on her palm and says, "Welcome to the club."

"So what's our plan for stopping this bastard?" Samira asks.

Siv crosses her arms and hums deeply in thought. "With the crystal in his possession, a frontal assault would be suicide."

"And what if the artifact has heightened his senses?" Nia proposes. "Then stealth is out of the question."

"Hans controls the elements and therefore controls the forest," Elsa murmurs from her seat. Her head slouches forward as she sighs in defeat. "It's over."

"Not while we still breathe it's not," I assert. I'm no stranger to helping Elsa, but I haven't seen her this down in years. She's built up such a connection to her powers that having them stripped away has taken a grim toll on her. "Hey," I whisper calmly. I take her oddly warm hands in mine and look into her eyes. "We're gonna make this right, but I need you to believe. I trusted you to follow the voice all those years ago, but now I need you to trust me."

Elsa sighs, swallows hard, and nods. "Alright, sis," she mumbles. "I trust you."

I simper and look to my sisters of the blade. "So we can't take him head on and we can't necessarily sneak up on him," I say. My mind wanders back to our first real mission after training. When we battled Jurgen the Red, Beatriz failed at stealth and I was an absolute mess at close-ranged combat. However, I recall how I was able to kick a concealed sword into Siv's hands. Her surprising toss won us the day and sparks an idea in my mind. "So we'll just have to distract him," I say.

"What are you proposing?" Siv inquires and raises a brow.

"Misdirection," I respond with a snap of my fingers.


I can tell how much it pains Elsa to return to the Enchanted Forest, but she knows what must be done. She shrouds the grief over her powers and hardens her resolve. The thought of protecting such a sacred land and her people outweighs her sorrows. Whatever grip Hans has on the crystal is only growing in strength. While the glacial scape has succumbs to a series of storms, the Dark Sea's waves intensify. Elsa and I gasp as we witness a dreadful sight along the shore. The Nokk, now under Hans' control, patrols the waters with a daunting gallop. I don't hear any Earth Giants stomping throughout the nearby woodlands, which has me hoping Hans hasn't gotten to them.

A sudden, boisterous rumble echoes throughout the forest. It's enough to have the Nokk snapping its head towards the rustling trees and galloping over. "There's Kristoff's signal," I whisper. Hopefully the Nokk'll take the bait." I prepare to slide into position when I notice Elsa staring at her former steed. "Hey," I call to her. "We'll get him back."

Elsa nods and slides down a nearby slope with me. We regroup at its base and watch the rumbling's source emerge from the treeline. Mounted atop Sven, Kristoff leads what appears to be a living rockslide. The smooth, mossy backs of his adoptive family roll and trail behind him. Nearly a hundred of these mystical trolls gather along the shoreline as the Nokk rides alongside them. Relief takes me as I realize the Nokk can't step on land without Elsa's magic to freeze it. Either way, my fiancé and his rocky army are at least drawing its attention.

I contemplate whether the possessed Nokk has a direct link to Hans. It appears that elements around it run rampant only after Kristoff and the trolls have been discovered. "Are you sure about this?" Elsa asks me. "If Hans gains control of the Wind Spirit-"

"I know it's risky-" I affirm. "-but we need Gale if we're going to reach Hans." There's a supernatural chitter in my ear and I know the spirit is ready for action. "Alright, buddy." I tell Gale. "Do your stuff!"

The enchanted breeze bolts past me and surges down to the waters. Meanwhile, jagged fractals are jutting from the sea and heading towards Kristoff. Wherever Hans is, he's got his eyes on them. Gale's taken the assassin's ship this far, so we must rely on him further. The Wind Spirit blows their bold sails in from the southern seas and has their vessel quaking.

"Here's our ride," Elsa says as Gale spirals back to us. With a mighty whirl, he sends us soaring high above the waves and onto the ship's deck.

"Nice of you to join us!" Siv hollers from the helm. Several assassins try to keep their balance while Beatriz tries not to throw up. My bladesister clings to the railing while Samira cheers raucously beside her.

Gale sends us racing towards Ahtohallan while the icy rampage ensues onshore. I peer from the stern and try to glimpse if Kristoff's made it out. I can only hope for the best as the shore becomes a chaotic blur. A sharp snap has my stomach dropping and Beatriz lurching forward.

"I think we've got a problem," Madam Nia says. We glance up as the winds die down. My eyes widen as I come to terms with what has happened. Hans' thunderous voice booms from the remains of Ahtohallan. Its icy fractures have been reforged to suit his own, cruel liking. An unsettling, turquoise glow has us bracing for the worst as I realize he's seized control of Gale.

"Swim for it," I utter.

"What?" Siv blurts as a lethal whirlwind forms overhead.

"Swim!" I shout while it descends on the ship. It strikes the deck as we leap to the sea. The ocean's frigid surface chills my skin as I tread about. From the moment I break the surface, I immediately sprint towards Ahtohallan. I can see Elsa and the others doing the same in my peripherals. The Nokk is on its way too and...wait...THE NOKK?!

"No!" I shriek as Hans calls the Water Spirit to attack us. The daunting steed lunges across the waves and sets its sights on Elsa. "Sis, look out!" Without hesitation, the Nokk pounces on Elsa and takes her deep beneath the waves. Beatriz turns back to me, but I swat a hand towards her. "Keep going!" I urge before diving down after my sister.

The Nokk is shoving her deeper into the depths as I try to reach them. Without her powers, Elsa struggles to connect with the possessed steed and is unable to freeze it. I manage to reach its hind legs, but it just kicks me upward. The strike buys Elsa enough time to wriggle free and leave the Nokk picking whom it will chase. We race for the surface as the Nokk pursues. I climb over a floating cluster of ice and pull Elsa up just in time. The Nokk propels itself behind us as we brace for impact.

"Pull!" Elsa urges me and grips the cluster's edge. I follow her lead and we pull the ice back as the Nokk lands. Rather than collide with us, it lands in the water and sends us gliding towards Ahtohallan. We tumble across its snow-covered shores and listen to the Nokk's fierce whinnies.

"I can't believe that actually worked," I huff. We catch our breath as Elsa helps me to my feet. Our heads snap towards the entrance to this insidious new ice fortress. The painful shouts of our friends echo from within, making me fear the worst as they've engaged Hans. As I look to Elsa and nod dutifully, I realize that the final showdown is upon us.