Chapter1 Valor!
"Ahtohallan United Industries! The River of Knowledge is found!" Voiced the speakers as people flocked to their seats. The Annual Showcase of A.U.I was a highlight for the city, and each year accompanied the event with a festival.
"The future's now thanks to science!" the speakers announced, it's tiny voice spreading throughout the fair grounds.
"I'm so excited!" Anna said peering around at all of the events and games, "It's so nice to see the city so happy."
She was average height, redheaded and energetic, with emerald green eyes. In her standard outfit of jeans and a hoodie she was the embodiment of energy, talking with everybody, buying every piece of chocolate she could find. Walking in tandem with her was her older sister Elsa, only slightly taller than her and with a head of snow white hair, she was all around more refined, wearing her usual a sleeveless top, covered by a small button up sweater and pants below. Carting a decent sized handbag, she followed along after her sister, but was significantly more aloof.
The duo went on, looking through all of the assortments of games and rides. On one billboard they saw a news advertisement from the day before.
-Ink blot's Assets Frozen! Arendell's very own Ice Queen! Saves the day again! More on Frost's daring rescue including an exclusive interview tonight on Arendell Live!-
"I wish I could meet Frost!" Anna said gazing with wonder up at the billboard.
"Why would you want to meet her?" asked her sister, "Wouldn't that just be a garentee that you're going to be in like a life threatening situation?"
"Heart and soul of the party aren't ya? You can't honestly tell me you wouldn't want to meet a superhero?" Anna asked incredually, "Especially one as cool as Frost." in response Elsa merely shrugged with a chuckle.
"Oh come on Elsa, every year we go to these things and you stand there like a statue!" she said, "Cut loose, live a little! There's tons of fun stuff to do," she said, "And cute boys to flirt with!"
"What're you talking about, you have a boyfriend." Elsa said confused.
"Well yea but it's still fun to practice." she giggled, looking around the grounds, "Look there's one right over there." Anna said pointing towards a strongman game.
Following her gaze she spotted a large beefy man holding a mallet. Hefting it with skill, he smashed it down on the lever, launching the scale upwards towards the bell. "Haha!" he laughed as it dinged, "No one's strong as Gaston!" the crowd around him cheered.
"Ugh," Elsa said, rolling her eyes, "Anna you can't be serious, the guy is a gorilla."
"But at least he's a handsome one." Anna swooned.
"Well I'm sure Hans would love to hear that." Elsa smirked.
"Oh alright, I give." Anna said waving her off, "But you get my point right? You're always in your phone or running off to some meeting right when the fun happens."
Looking down at her feet guiltily, "Yes and I'm sorry about that, I-" she was cut off by her phone beeping. Rummaging through her bags she found it.
-Break in at A.U.I. it's Rourke. Security is trying to keep it quiet, but it's not going well-
"What did I tell you." Anna sighed.
"Look, I'm sorry, I'll be right back I promise. It's really important." Elsa said backing away.
Rolling her eyes, Anna sighed, "Ok well afterwards Hans is taking me out for dinner, let me know if you'll be back before the showcase is over."
"I will, so sorry again. Love you!" she finished, running off towards the parkinglot.
"Bye…" sighed Anna, watching her sister run off.
Bobbing and weaving between people she looked for a good space, ruffling around in her bag she pulled out an earpiece. Putting it in and activating it, she said, "Talk to me Kris."
"It doesn't look good, he's got the whole crew with him this time." came Kristoff's voice from the piece.
"What's the target?" Elsa asked ducking into an alley and after jogging a few feet, sliding between two buildings. Letting her power flow through her, she froze through her clothes and formed her supersuit, covering her face with a reflective helmet, she grew an Iced Armor over the one-piece jumpsuit.
"Seems like its something from the Archaeology department, it's called, Project Starlight. At least that seems to be what they're going after." Kris responded, "They've been cutting the feeds to most of the security cameras so I've been having to work off of just mine."
"Well just keep me posted," she said, climbing up the fire escape of the abandoned building, and blasting a bridge of ice into existence, "Lets go see how the company's doing."
-Ahtohallan United Industries:Archaeology Dept.-
Explosion!
"Knock knock." came Rourkes voice as the smoke and dust cleared.
"Room service!" Shouted one of his goons as several the guards burst into the room.
"Drop the weapons!"
"Don't you people have anything better to say?" Rourke said, "Mole?"
"Eet would be mai pleasure," said a small hunched man holding a gattling gun in a thick french accent, turning to fire.
The guards ducked in fear and turned away, but as the bullets launched, a wall of ice blocked the way. Stopping all of the bullets and saving the guards lives. "Now now Rourke, let's play nice with the other kids." Elsa said, hopping down from the rafters in front of the group.
"Frost. Nice of you to join the party!" he smiled.
"Wish I could say likewise." Elsa said glaring at him through her helmet.
"Aww come now Frost don't give us the cold shoulder." he said turning to the man behind him, "Not when we've got such a warm welcome planned for you."
The second man's hands stared glowing, "Now it's gettin fun."
He grabbed a piece of rubble from the door, as it made contact with his hands it began glowing as well, then threw it at Elsa. Dodging it, she ducked into a roll as it exploded behind her. The man quickly grabbed three more pieces, he threw one at the wall of ice, and the other two at Elsa. One of the other goons, with a flamethrower, stepped in and fired at them. The resulting explosion launched her off of her feet and into the wall. Using the distraction to his advantage, Rourke ducked through the hole made in the ice wall and signaled for the others to do the same, leaving Elsa dazed behind them. Recovering quickly Elsa jumped to her feet and followed after them.
"You three take care of the baggage, Vinny, Mole, with me!" Rourke shouted.
As they dissapeared down the tunnel, Vinney, (the explosives one) took out a playing card, and activated his power, dropping it and then shut the door. As it closed, the lackies who they left behind dove for cover as it blew, covering the path with debris and flames to block the enterance.
(Great, that's just what I need.) Elsa thought as the one with a flamethrower got back up and started torching everything.
"Sounds like Rourke's got some new goons." Kris remarked.
"Check the layout of the building," she said, ducking under the blast of fire, and firing a shot of Ice at him, "I need to know if there's there another route that can get me to Project Starlight!"
"Checking it now." he said, and she heard the familiar clacking of keys on his keyboard.
As he worked Elsa dealt with the fighters, she created a staff of ice and twirled it around. She caught one upside the head, the other in the chest, and dodge-rolled again as the flamethrower shot at her. Launching a wave of ice at the flamethrower one, the two battled for dominance as the blast of ice and flames connected. For a few moments it seemed they were evenly matched, so Elsa upped the ante, pumping more power into the shot. It overtook the flamethrower and froze it into a block of ice.
"That's not good," voiced the man in a gruff voice.
"Well hate to stop your evil plan and run, but your boss is getting away." Elsa said delivering a twirling kick to the side of his head, knocking him out instantly.
"Got it!" came Kristoff's voice, "Head down one level through the stairwell on Hb1 then you can drop down the elevator shaft, I've stopped any of them from going below Hb2 so you should be fine."
"Heading there now." she said, breaking into a sprint towards the stairwell.
As she was running, Kris asked, "So… how'd she take it?"
The question caught her off guard so much that she actually tripped over herself as she ran, "What?!"
"Anna, you said you were going to tell her." Kris said, "She'll catch on eventually."
"I know that!" she said as she made it to the stairwell and froze an ice slide over the steps to speed up, "Is this really the best time!"
"Well its not exactly like your life is in danger right now, you can run and talk at the same time can't you?" he teased.
"Kristoff seriously, I'll tell her when I'm ready." she said.
"Yeah," he scoffed, "Heard that one before."
"Can we focus on the task at hand please?!" she said frustratedly as she made her way to the elevator, and forced the door open. Gazing down the dark shaft she shot down a blast of power to make a large pile of snow. "How far down is it?"
"Should be the last level, 'bout 5 stories." he said.
"Got it." she said jumping down.
The fall was rapid and accompanied by a soft 'ploof' when she hit the pile of snow on the bottom, (Just like a pillow) she thought happily to herself as she dusted off.
"So what eez eet?" came Mole's voice.
"Who cares its big its shiney and its gonna make us all rich." Rourke said, "How do we get it out?"
Elsa moved to the elevator doors and began easing them open slowly, when she'd cracked them open enough, she could see the room they were all standing in. It was a large laboratory, although most of the interior was stripped away to allow space for the main item. Rourke Vinney and Mole were all standing directly in front of a large pulsating sphere. It actually looked as though it was made of flowing ice. A dim cool blue light danced around the sphere, almost as if there was something alive about it.
"Eet appearz zat it haz been solidified into zee capsule wit some sort of crystalized energy." he said.
"Kris are you seeing this?" Elsa asked incredulously.
"Seeing… still processing." Kristoff said dumbfounded.
"Vinny what do you think?" Rourke asked.
Vinney looked through his coat, "I could break that if I had about 200 of these," he said holding up a face card, "'Cept I've only got like… 9 plus, five of my own… couple pennies."
With that Rourke turned to Mole, "Looks like we'll have to dig."
"The shear energy level radiating off of that thing is intense!" Kristoff said, "I wish I could tell you what it is, but the whole file is encrypted and even the backdoors have firewalls."
"We can't let them get access to this." Elsa whispered, sliding the doors open further to squeeze through. Once inside, she saw Mole stretching out his claws and heading in to start. Seizing the opportunity she released a line of ice that froze in a stream towards Mole, freezing him solid.
"Frost! I was worried you wouldn't make it!" Rourke said with a chuckle, whipping out his pistol and firing.
Throwing up a quick ice wall to block it, "Could've fooled me." she said dryly. Pulling out her staff, she made a snowflake riot shield and spun around to attack.
Blocking two shots with her shield, she pounded her staff to the ground, spouting a line of Frozen stalagmites towards Rourke, who jumped out of the way as Vinney threw several cards at Elsa. She threw up another ice wall to block it but it exploded, blasting her off her feet. Spinning around and rolling to her feet, she coated the ground in ice, using it to skate around and knock Vinney to the ground.
"You gotta be faster than that!" she chuckled.
"Oh yeah! On your left!" Rourke said, pointing behind her.
"Wh-" she started, but was blindsided by a blow to the head from Mole, who'd broken free of his ice cage. He picked her up and threw her towards the sphere.
"Little minx!" he snarled.
As she flew back, she fired a blast of snow at the orb to cushion her fall. Surprisingly the sphere absorbed it and she crashed into the orb. When she connected, the sphere began humming ominously. Rourke and the others began edging backwards, "What did you do Frost!"
A voice suddenly emitted from the crystalline sphere "{The Ice Offering is accepted. The seal is broken. The starlight returns.}"
"Hey, I had nothin to do wit dat." Vinny said, waving a card in her direction. The sphere began shining intensely as cracks began forming all around it. Odd symbols began shining and creating some sort of insignia.
"Kris you getting this?" Elsa asked.
"What just happened? The energy level spiked, which, given its original value is… well saying something." Kristoff responded.
The Sphere had by this point completely dissolved, only a bright light remained. Inside it was a sillouete which grew clearer by the second, it looked humanoid. She couldn't make out any defining features but what she could see was suddenly drowned out by a new flash of saphire blue.
A voice shouted, "I embrace the Valor!"
-Orion's P.O.V.-
He was floating in a space of light, no feeling, no warmth just a ethereal space of emptiness like it had always been. A young man around 20 years old, thin and tall, he was wearing robes covered in strange symbols and markings.
A voice sounded clear and strong like a bell. "{The Ice Offering is accepted. The seal is broken. The starlight returns.}"
(W-what?) Orion thought, (The seal?)
From inside his mind the voice of Lance sounded (Freedom! Haha! We're finally getting out!) White was all he could see, he couldn't remember where he was nor did he entirely care when he heard a large crack, and the world opened up into a scene truly unexpected. A warrior of Ice was standing in front of him, while three other rougher looking people were pressing in behind them. He didn't even know what to think! He'd spent so much time in here he'd forgotten almost everything. He remembered his name, he remembered Lance and Arthur but that was about it.
Looking around at the surroundings he could make out the auras of the four mystery people. The Ice warrior had a light blue aura, depicting kindness and shyness. The other three had darker colors, more obscure and shadowed. He couldn't tell what was going on, (Getting out of here won't be that easy.) said Arthur, (The lot of them seem quite powerful you won't be able to make it out alone.)
(Oh let me have a go can I? The Warrior looks like they need help!) Lance said in his mind.
"Well…" he said
(Oh please?!) Lance begged, (I promise I won't overdo it and I'll give the reigns right back to you.)
(He does seem to have the knack for this sort of thing.) said Arthur, (I for one am keeping my hands clean of this)
"Oh… Ok," Orion said.
(YES!) Lance cheered.
"Get ready." Orion sighed, braceing himself and shouted, "I embrace the Valor!"
Power flowed through his body, his arms thickened, and new clothes formed around him, his eyes gleamed with a blue light. He jumped out into the scene with a battle cry as Lance took over.
"Haha! That's the stuff!" he smiled, stretching out, his muscles were massive, and his height was substantially larger than all who were in the room. He was in a large vest with strange symbols in the center, he had on white gloves, large boots and a belt holding a large V buckle. The four in front of him seemed shocked in silence.
"Talk to me Mole, who is he?" said one of the rougher looking men.
"Eet appearz zat zee crystalline structure houzed a sort of creature." said the short one.
"Well thank you captain obvious, wouldn't have figured that out." responded the first dryly.
"You know Rourke dis guy looks like wierd." said the third, "Maybe he's like from another planet or somthin."
"Vinney when I want your opinion I'll ask for it." The one called Rourke said.
"Kris? I'd appreciate some answers," said the warrior, from beneath the mask Lance could detect a feminine voice.
"You're a woman!" Lance said awkwardly, "Well, I'd assume you're the one who made the Ice offering so, thanks are in order! I'm in your debt!" he finished offering her his hand, "Lance, Starlight of Valor, pleasure to meet you."
"Uh, Frost… Don't mention it." she said quietly shaking it.
"By the way, love the mask Idea!" Lance said, using the residual energy from his transformation to create a standard saphire superhero mask with ninja like tails that blew in the wind.
(Lance! Remember, we're trying to leave) Orion said annoyed, (Let's go before you blow something up.)
(Oh get a grip Orion, I'm just being polite.) he said annoyed.
"Well, you all seem like you were in the uh… middle of something so I'll just um… be on my way." Lance said with a smile, backing out towards the doors.
"Hey! Hold up a minute." said the man, walking up and grabbing him by the shoulder, "Clearly you were what made the thing so valuable so you're coming with us!"
"Aww you're cute," Lance said, patting him on the head, "But honestly, I'd best be heading out now." he finished, turning to walk away.
"Don't you just turn your back on me!" shouted the man, pulling out his pistol.
"Watch out!" Yelled Frost, pushing her way towards Lance.
The gunshot rang through the lab, followed by a small 'clink' as the bullet fell to the floor crushed. The man was stunned into silence as Lance turned back around.
(Well crap.) Orion said.
Arthur rolled his eyes, (So much for the clean escape.)
"I do not like people who attack when their opponent's back is turned." he said calmly. Then he swatted him nonchelantly in the side, throwing him into the side wall. Adopting a battle ready stance he asked, "Next?"
Mole and Vinney both looked at each other, then charged jointly at him. With a happy chuckle he cracked his neck and said, "Apologies Orion, but I haven't had a challange in ages." With an unatural burst of speed, he appeared behind the two attackers and punched Mole in the face. Vinney managed to react quick enough to throw a glowing punch at him. When the punch landed the resulting explosion threw them both apart.
"What kind of freak is this?" Vinney asked incredulously as Rourke got back up.
"Looks like a fun one." he said as he transformed, a crystal forming over his body, and his eyes and mouth glowing scarlet, "Get him!"
"Haha! So you did have more in you!" Lance shouted, "That's fantastic!"
"Raight behind you!" Mole shouted, extending his claws again.
Lance sped up, sprinting in between Vinney and Mole to get a shot at Rourke. He threw a punch to his face, but Rourke caught it and returned suit, Lance blocked his left jab with a smile. Backing up a pace, he jumped over Rourke's head and flipped with a 360 spin to finish off a kick straight to his midsection. As Rourke flew back into the wall, Vinney caught up to Lance and threw several exploding punches. Lance dodged them deftly and returned with a palmheel strike to the chest, and a spinning roundhouse to the gut, sending him doubled over to the floor.
Mole had come in and scratched him across the back, tearing his vest. Elbowing Mole under the chin he spun around and delivered a double hammerfist smash, burying him in rubble and smashing him 5 feet into the floor.
"Two down, one to-" Lance said, looking around for Rourke, but stopped as he found him a frozen statue, his eyes cooled to blue.
"Well you were busy making my job easier, so I thought I'd help you out." Frost smiled.
"Well thank you." he said slightly dissapointed, "I shall just have to wait until the next time to fight him."
"Whatever you say. Now, explanation time." Frost said expectantly, "Who are you and what are you doing here."
"Well actually I should probably be going." Lance said with a tired smile, his vision blurring. "Does the air seem at all thin in here to you?"
(Uh oh.) Arthur said.
(Uh oh? Why uh oh?) asked Orion.
(This is the first transformation we've used in… Well I don't know how long. Sustaining it like this so much time, without any rest or food or water, is taking its toll.) Arthur deduced worriedly.
"Stop trying to distract me," Frost said firmly, "I want some answers."
"Yes yes of course… answers…" Lance said, woozy on his feet, "As soon as the room stops spinning." he finished eyes rolling back in their sockets and falling to the floor. Changing back into his original form as he fell, the saphire power floating off of his body like mist, and leaving Orion facedown on the floor with the same robes on as before.
-Elsa's P.O.V-
"What. The heck. Just happened?!" Elsa said incredulously, "The guy takes on Rourke, Vinny, and Mole all at once like it's nothing and then I ask one question and he goes to pieces?"
"Well judging by the data on this sphere it must be hundreds of years old." Kristoff said, "The fact he's even still alive is a miracle."
"Wait you have access to the files?" Elsa asked, "I thought you said even the backdoors where firewalled."
"That was five minutes ago." he said modestly, "Looking closer to the mythos it says here that the sphere held some sort of ancient guardian."
"Well he could certainly hold his own in a fight." Elsa said moving closer to his now limp body, his entire physique had changed, he was a little shorter and his muscle mass had diminished emmencely. His clothes had morphed into some sort of robes and his hair, although the same blonde hue was now shorter.
"He looks like he's in his early 20's… If I hadn't just seen him take on a team of hardened supervillans single handedly I'd say he's some cosplaying history nut." she said intruiged. Just then the alarms began to sound and the lights flared red, "Kristoff! What's going on?!" she shouted.
"The security system just came back online, the trojan horse program that Rourkes men put in place clocked out!" he said making several adjustments on his keyboard, "Unless you want a police escort home you'd better get out of there!"
Turning to leave, Elsa stopped short, turning back to the man's lifeless form. "We can't just leave him."
"Well whatever you're gonna do, do it fast!" said Kris.
Thinking quickly Elsa ran to the man and threw him over her shoulder, turning to the unconcious criminals, she created Ice handcuffs and strapped up Mole and Vinney, while leaving Rourke as a piece of modern art. Then ran to the elevator shaft and grew a platform of Ice that grew upwards until she reached the elevator itself. Placing the man on the ground, she forced open the doors to the floor she was at, and threw him out into the hall. Climbing out herself, she picked him back up, and shot open a window with a blast of Ice.
"Ok, hold on." she said, jumping out of the window, while creating a slide of ice to skate down. (So much for making back to the showcase.) she thought.
As she skated across the town she gazed down at the city below. "We've got to take him to HQ." she told Kristoff, "It's the only place we'll be able to take care of him."
"Oh yeah that's great makes perfect sense, take the superpowered mystery man home! Great, I can't wait to hear your explanation for this one." Kristoff chuckled.
"You remember your cousin Kristoff?" she asked slyly.
"Cousin? What cousin, I don't have a cousin." he said confused.
"Well now you do." she smiled as she skated around an antenna.
"You have got to be kidding me. That is the dumbest Idea ever." he replied.
"Well unless you've got any better suggestions!" She said angrily looking around, spotting the mansion she looked for a spot to land nearby, "I'm coming in through the south enterance, open the gates."