~Chapter 25~
Elsa
Ahtohallan looked so different from when we came before. A twenty-year difference will do that, but this was so drastic. No trees populated the area and any sort of plant life was gone. I wasn't sure what we would walk into so Niklas told the crew to stay on the ship to recoup from injuries, especially the captain. Bruni hopped on my shoulder as we made our way inland. Niklas gave my hand a squeeze as we moved away from the ship.
"Guess we can't get lost here now," Niklas commented giving my hand a squeeze.
"Silver lining," I winked.
The voice began calling again and even louder now that we were so close. Bruni was stomping in place on my shoulder unable to contain his excitement. What lay ahead was a glacier of sorts and it was a little eerie just given the drastic change from the last time we were here. Did mother build the glacier to protect Ahtohallan once we left? Guess I'd never know. Someone had been here as there were footprints around. I pointed them out to Niklas and he said they weren't at all recent. Though it got me curious as to who would come here. Maybe Anna had been here for the past three years. Could she have been drawn here like I was?
There wasn't an opening or door into this mound of ice. If Anna had been here, there was no melted entry by fire either.
"I don't understand," I muttered, "Why was I called here if it's blocked?"
Niklas grabbed my shoulder turning me to face him. He knew how to stop me before I spiraled into a negative headspace.
"Elsa let's just look around, there has to be a way inside." He nodded.
The voice echoed out again ringing inside my head beckoning me forward. Bruni slid down my shoulder to my forearm and shot a blast of fire toward the ice. His fire might as well of been a pebble. This glacier was protected somehow and yet there wasn't a barrier or anything surrounding it. Suddenly I saw a blue glow through the ice in front of me. It was faint and Bruni hopped excitedly on my arm as well looking up at me.
"You see it too, huh?" I asked.
He blinked as Niklas glanced between me and the glacier wall.
"See what?" He questioned.
The voice echoed again as the blue glow appeared and again and flew off around the corner of the glacier.
"Come on," I told Niklas grabbing his hand.
Excitement and anticipation fueled inside me even though I had no idea what lay inside. I wasn't scared or nervous at all. As we came around the corner, the blue glow faded as a narrow opening lay just ahead of us into the glacier. Bruni climbed back up my shoulder as I wasted no time sliding through the entrance. It was narrow, there was less than an inch between the ice and my nose. Niklas had a slightly harder time, but after scooting ourselves inside, it opened up some. A cold mist came off our breath indicating the freezing nature of this glacier. It didn't bother me, but Niklas didn't exactly dress for the occasion to go hiking inside a glacier. More importantly, where was Ahtohallan village?
"This place is quite different," Niklas pointed out.
"A lot can happen in twenty years," I nodded, "Remember this is where there were trees and plantlife, Ahtohallan wasn't exactly at ground level,"
Niklas raised his brows in recognition.
"It was below," He said,
This dome chamber wasn't even in Ahtohallan yet. We had to get down. The blue glow appeared on the wall nearby and directed me to the path ahead. I couldn't see what lay beyond it and I could see why once we approached. There was a sheer drop below an icy slide down of sorts. Bruni leapt off my shoulder as the voice rang out to us from below. The blue glow faded moving down the slope and out of sight. We couldn't see anything below. The voice beckoned again as Bruni leapt forward flopping on his belly and sliding down out of sight. I sat on the slope pulling up the hem of my dress so as not to snag on anything on the way down. Before I went any further, Niklas grabbed my arm stopping me.
"I don't like this, Elsa. We don't know what's down there."
I sighed heavily as I rose to my feet meeting his gaze.
"Niklas, we have nothing to be scared of, besides we've been here before."
"A lot can happen in twenty years," He echoed what I told him earlier, "We don't know anything about this place anymore."
I sighed looking down the slope as the voice called to me again. Something in my gut said this voice was good and I had nothing to fear. Niklas couldn't hear anything so understandably, he was concerned.
"Look, I'm not saying don't explore," He said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I'm saying, I'm in front and you hold on from behind."
I kissed him quickly knowing he was ignoring his usual overprotective nature. He sat down first and I sat behind him interlocking my arms around his form.
"Hold on," He said, as we inched toward the slope.
The drop was longer than I anticipated making my stomach move to my throat. I discovered that freefall was not my favorite. We went fast considering there were two of us and the momentum was fast. Several curves and twists later, we slowed down to a stop finding Bruni waiting for us in a new large dome of a space. This place I recognized due to all the buildings. Ahtohallan was in complete shambles and disrepair. Niklas and I rose to our feet as we approached what I remembered was the village center.
"What happened here?" Niklas muttered.
"I wish I knew," I replied.
"Do you wish to find out?" A voice said.
It was a little boy's voice that reminded me so much of Alex.
"Did you hear that?" I asked Niklas.
"Hear what?"
The boy's voice laughed.
"He can't hear me. Only those with magic can hear the magic that lies within Ahtohallan."
"Where are you?" I called spinning around.
Niklas looked at me nervously, not like I was insane, but more like he wanted to hear what I did too.
"Over here," As a spit of fire shot in the air.
I charged around the rubble where the fire shot up and standing at yet another icy archway was Bruni.
"Bruni?" I questioned in disbelief.
"Yes?"
"You could speak the whole time?"
"Sure I could, I'm one of the four elemental spirit guides."
"Why now?" I asked.
"Ahtohallan is a wealth of power though it has laid dormant for years. The voice that has been calling is the voice of that power. It wants you to be the Fifth Spirit and protect these lands."
"My mother was the Fifth Spirit, though why me?"
"It comes down to a choice, Elsa. There is a sorcerer who has been sealed away for years."
"Right, Raevich." I nodded, "I know the tale."
"Raevich was once a good man, but with a surplus of power, a bit of humanity is stripped away. Corrupted by power, he seeks to sap all magic power that isn't his own from these lands. The flooding of Carcallier was the final straw for the ancestors of the Southern Isles to seal him away to protect the land. Though his influence began leeching out when you married a man from the Southern Isles." Bruni explained.
I was reminded of the night before when Elris first showed up in Arendelle.
"Your sister is under his influence and she is in the process of releasing him from his prison as we speak." He continued.
"Anna?," I muttered, "But why? How did he get to her?"
"Those who have an emotional wound or pain are more susceptible to his influence."
This explained so much as to why Aunt Isidora and my cousins and even Aria fell asleep. The anniversary of Colin's death was looming over my aunt and cousins and of course, Aria lost her family in the shipwreck. Though something wasn't adding up in my head.
"But Anna, wasn't in pain." I reasoned.
"Some people hide it well, Elsa. Anna had lost you again when you came home from the past."
"But I didn't mean," I muttered.
"Of course, you didn't, Elsa, but now Raevich is using her to get free and only the Fifth Spirit has the power to stop him."
"Well clearly I don't have the power yet," I said reluctantly.
"The four elemental guides will be with you every step of the way should you accept it. You will be trained. Though you should be aware, training is long and tough and here in Ahtohallan, time doesn't flow as it should."
"I knew I felt something weird as I came down the slope," I said.
"Yes, the time barrier. One hour here is a day on the outside."
"Bruni, I don't know." I said glancing at Niklas, "We can't be away from the kids for too long. We need to discuss this,"
Niklas nodded before Bruni got my attention with another fireball shooting overhead.
"Elsa, there's more." Bruni urged, "The Fifth Spirit and a ruler cannot coexist."
"What are you saying, Bruni?" I questioned immediately not liking what I was hearing.
"I'm saying if you chose to become the Fifth Spirit, you must step down as Queen of Arendelle."
"What, but Niklas is my husband and the king, how can I possibly-"
"The responsibility of the Fifth Spirit comes with many sacrifices. It's about keeping balance and the power of the Fifth Spirit as a ruler would make humans jealous and the land would dissolve into entropy."
Niklas grabbed my hand and while he only got my words of this conversation, the concern on his face was evident.
"Elsa, what's he saying?" He asked, searching my eyes that too easily gave any emotion away. I was confused and I felt the pressure to make a choice. There wasn't exactly time to debate my options. This threat was happening. They couldn't wait for another person of magic to train to be the Fifth Spirit. I was here now and I could do something to help.
"Niklas, you should return to Arendelle immediately,"
"What?" He questioned.
"I must train. There is nothing for you to do here."
"How about supporting my wife?" He replied.
This would be hard. Niklas could be quite stubborn when he wanted to be. So I began to explain all that Bruni and I had discussed. Niklas appeared deep in thought after he put together why I was upset. Becoming the Fifth Spirit took sacrifices and I had to wonder, was I ready to make them? I took Niklas's hands in mine rubbing the tops of his hands with my thumbs. This transition wouldn't be easy.
"I'll stay here in Ahtohallan and train. I have to figure out exactly what this voice wants, but something in my gut reassures me it's something good."
"Elsa, I'm not just going to leave you here,"
It was a comfort to hear him say that not that it surprised me, but this was beyond us and time wasn't on our side.
"I promise, I'll visit as often as I can," My voice broke giving myself away and how I truly was feeling at this moment, "Tell Alex and Lily that I love them every day."
This was the sacrifice that was going to hurt the most. I released my husband's hand as I turned my back to follow Bruni further into Ahtohallan when Niklas grabbed my arm spinning me around toward him.
"Niklas, stop." I said, "I have to do this."
"And leave behind everything you love? Your home? Your family?"
"I'm trying to protect my family and everyone else."
"If that doesn't sound like a queen, I don't know what does."
He pulled me toward him and as I melted in the warmth of his embrace, he brought his lips to my ear.
"If you're not at my side, then I don't want it." He whispered.
I pulled my head back sighing heavily as Niklas cupped my face in his hands.
"I didn't sign up to be Arendelle's king and your husband to lead separate lives. I signed up because I love you and I wanted to build a life together. If this new chapter is telling us to step down as king and queen, then so be it. You've supported me every day as king and now it's my turn to see you through this journey as you grow and learn what it means to be the Fifth Spirit."
I was trying to keep my composure, but this man was making me an emotional wreck.
"I-I love you," I muttered.
Niklas pressed his lips to mine as he echoed those same words back at me.
"But who will lead Arendelle?" I asked, "I don't want to leave Arendelle with a legacy of disappearing rulers."
Niklas tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear as he smiled playfully as if he had a secret to share.
"I have an idea, but there is time. I'll return to Arendelle in a few days to make the announcement of the transition of power and get the kids. Though in the meantime, let's see what Ahtohallan has to show you."
With Niklas's hand entwined with mine, I faced Bruni with a confident smile.
"I'm ready,"
The voice called out to me again as Niklas and I followed Bruni into the glacier. I saw the blue glow following us out of the corner of my eye in the icy walls. I gripped Niklas's hand as we moved further eventually stopped by an icy blockade. Without a word, I approached these ice blocks and shoved them aside out of the way.
"Nice work," Niklas commented.
I looked down at my hands in awe.
"I didn't know I could do that," I muttered.
"There is much you will learn, Elsa. You are capable of far more than you realize." Bruni said.
The doorway I uncovered, led into another large room though it was mostly dark. I could barely see anything a few steps in front of me until Bruni ignited himself on fire with purple light illuminating the area around us. There was another branching path from this room that looked like it went downward further. I recognized it from the past where that pool of water Njal showed to me back then. Before I could even ask Bruni the next steps, the voice beckoned me again and it was so loud, I felt the voice echo into the very depths of me. Four pillars of ice shot up from the ground each with the symbol of the four elements. Just like the stones in the forest. I turned back toward Niklas as he released my hand with a warm smile.
"Go," He nodded, "I'll be right here."
I turned toward the pillars and touched each one with my hand. A warm, tingling sensation swept across my body after touching each of them. With each touch, the pillars dropped into the floor carving the symbols of the elements into the ground. In the center between these symbols, there was a circular glowing spot. I stepped on it without question and a blast of wind swirled around me at that moment. The area around me disappeared as the swirl of wind lifted me off the ground as a blast of magic swirled around the ceiling igniting images upon its surface. As I gazed upon these images, tears came to my eyes as I looked upon memories across the timeline of my life. Anna and I as children, our parents, Olaf, and our relationships with Kristoff and Niklas. It was all here surrounding the ceiling in subtly moving pictures as if these images were alive. I saw my coronation, my wedding to Niklas, and Lilly and Alex being born. So many things stored here. The familiar blue glow came down from the ceiling enveloping me with its light. I wanted to reach out and touch it but resisted. Instead, it swirled around me amongst the wind and I felt a power pass over me. Then I noticed my clothes begin to transform before my very eyes. A white, glittered dress formed on my body with matching pants. A bejeweled bodice with diamonds each representing the elements stitched across the collar of the dress. This outfit was a shimmering work of art. I wasn't worthy of such a fine garment. The wind died down as it brought me back to the ground. Niklas and Bruni appeared before me again and Niklas looked at me as if I was a stranger taking my hands in his.
"What just happened?" He asked.
"She accepted the responsibility of becoming the Fifth Spirit," Bruni answered.
"Did my mother go through this exact thing?" I asked.
"Each journey is unique to that individual." Bruni nodded, "Come Elsa, let us begin."
Niklas gave us some distance, which was wise. Magic was always unpredictable especially when trying to learn and control it. Bruni and I stood in the middle of the room as I scooped Bruni up in my hands.
"Ice is still your given birth element, Elsa. It will always naturally be your strongest. The other spirits and I will still teach you about the other elements and how to use them properly."
"You're going to teach me fire, right now?"
"Time is short." He replied, "Besides, you'll be surprised how easy you pick it up."
Bruni explained the connection of my emotions to my powers, a fact I was very much aware of.
"The more emotion you pour into your power, the more power is unleashed."
"Oh, I'm very much aware of this," I said.
"Take deep breaths, Elsa, and light your hand on fire."
"You want me to do what?"
"Trust yourself,"
Bruni spoke like it was something I already knew how to do. I glanced at Niklas nervously and he gestured for me to breathe with a reassuring nod. I refocused my attention on my hand closing my eyes. I thought of my kids, I thought of Anna, and I thought of Niklas. My love for my family fueled me to my core. I felt a gentle heat on my hand it was probably just warming up, but as I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see a big ball of fire enveloping my hand. To my surprise, I quickly iced my hand so it wouldn't grow out of control.
"Well done, Elsa." Bruni cheered as he was sitting on my shoulder, "You're a natural. Do it again."
My fire training was this for the next hour and by the time the hour was up, I no longer extinguished my fire with my ice nervously. I embraced it and felt the heat and energy with every attempt. Fire was a powerful energy, similar to ice, but the feeling as it shot out of my hands was a unique sensation of ferocity and control. Bruni was an excellent teacher and was patient with me. It was midday by the time I was able to have a break. I wasn't even thirsty or hungry until I stopped my training. Those feelings hit me moments after Bruni told me to settle in with my new knowledge and pause. Niklas apparently left while I was busy getting some food from the sailors who had some in the boat. We sat on the ground and munched on mostly salty crackers since their shelf life on ships is longer than most food. I barely ate my fill before Bruni lit himself on fire to grab my attention.
"You have more training to do," He urged.
"Alright, let's start again."
"Not with me, you must be gradually introduced to each element. Call upon the other elemental guides and they will come to teach you."
"Call on them? How do I-"
"The same call that drew you back to Ahtohallan," Bruni nodded.
I glanced at Bruni rising to my feet as I took a breath. That song filled the room and it almost seemed brighter once I began to sing. It echoed off the walls once before I stopped.
"Nothing is happening," I shrugged.
"Just wait," Bruni replied.
Moments later, a loud screech was heard as a bright silver glow flew into the room. I had to put up my hand to block the intensity of light. As the glow dissipated, a large silver owl was standing beside Bruni. Right after that, I heard the trampling of horse hooves as the Nokk rode into the room, and finally, a familiar white tiger came up right to me rubbing her head against my leg.
"Yura!" I exclaimed in surprise.
It's been twenty years, but this animal hadn't changed. Though would she change if she is a magical animal guide? Niklas slowly stepped in front of me putting himself between me and the animals.
"Elsa, is this safe?" He asked.
I grabbed his hand giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Stand down, everything is fine." I nodded.
Niklas nodded and took some steps back to give me some space.
"I'll be over there."
I refocused my attention on the animals and interacted with each of the three new ones who just joined us here. I patted the Nokk's snout as the creature bowed its head to me. Having interacted with this water horse in the past, I already somewhat felt connected to it courtesy of my mother.
"You may be a master of ice, but water is another element in and of itself." The Nokk told me, "I will teach you." He said with a gruff voice.
"What can I call you?" I asked, putting his snout again.
The Nokk snorted with a short reply.
"Tsuna." He replied.
"I look forward to learning from you," I said.
The owl was the most stern of the four having locked eyes with me since the moment it flew into Ahtohallan.
"How fitting to learn the element of air from a bird."
"I'm not just any bird," She snapped, "I'm a hunter, my name is Exalos."
"I don't know much about air except my cousin Royan who reminded me of the gift of freedom from fear."
"He sounds wise," Exalos replied.
"Royan is powerful. I'm curious, will I be able to fly once you train me?"
Exalos stared at me without blinking
"Not only will you fly, but you will soar.
Yura was at the end of the line as I talked to each of them. Even though they talked to me easily enough, their lips didn't move. Was I strictly hearing them in my head? Yura chuffed as she stepped toward me.
"I knew I'd see you again," The tiger said.
"Really, because I wasn't."
"Your mother would be proud of the path you've chosen." Yura nodded.
I was not going to get emotional, not now. I had a job to do and time was of the essence.
"There is an urgent matter that I feel the Fifth Spirit should investigate," She said.
"Already? I thought stopping Raevich was my first objective." I replied.
"He is, but on my way here. I smelled a foul smoke rising among the trees to the east. Away from here, away from Ahtohallan." Yura continued.
"Smoke? Like there's a fire?" I questioned.
Was Anna close? I thought.
"I flew here and didn't see anything," Exalos added.
"I will take her there to investigate," Tsuna replied,
"Be quick, we're losing daylight." Yura urged.
Niklas approached from behind having no idea what the plan was.
"Something wrong?" He asked, searching my eyes.
"There's a growing fire in the forest, me and the Nokk, Tsuna are going to go investigate. Between water and ice, we should be able to manage it."
"Then time is of the essence, let's move." Niklas urged.
The both of us climbed on the back of Tsuna before taking off leaving the glacier of Ahtohallan. Coming back outside was mind-boggling as the sun had already set. Bruni proved his point that time didn't flow here as it should. We arrived at midday and I swear it seemed like we had only been there an hour. Tsuna approached the water and turned toward me.
"When I say, hold your breath," Tsuna said, thundering toward the water.
"O-Okay," I muttered.
I relayed the same information to Niklas and moments later, we were told to hold our breath. I sucked in a tight breath as the Nokk dove below the depths of the fjord. In a blink, we resurfaced but at a completely new location across the fjord where the enchanted forest of my childhood stood. Smoke hit our eyes as we came up from the water and we began coughing. Fire illuminated the night sky as pillars of smoke rose into the sky above the tree line. My heart grew excited that I might reunite with my sister. What else could this random fire in the middle of the forest tell me except that my sister was here?
"Anna," I muttered.
I slid off Tsuna's back and charged into the smoke with Niklas right behind me. Where the smoke was growing, fire blazed hot and ferocious just beyond catching on any tree in the vicinity. Tsuna began splashing water to douse the blaze in one corner and I blasted ice at any flames in front of me as well. I made sure Niklas stayed behind me as fire was tricky sometimes and could jump and grow in a blink. Barely making a dent with short blasts of ice, I quickly stamped the ground as an ice rink shot out from my feet and put out the fire on the outcrop of trees just in front of us. My nose began bleeding again as I took a knee to catch my breath. Niklas put his hand on my back as I took a minute to catch my breath. The smoke got to me more than I realized. Tsuna told me he'd handle the rest of the fire. Soon, any ember of fire was put out and only the smoke had to clear.
"What happened here?" Niklas muttered.
I rose to my feet as I pushed in further. There were scorch marks over the ground and tracks from boots. The foot size was small. It wasn't hard to guess that my assumption was correct.
"Anna was here and she started this fire, but why?" I questioned.
Pushing in between some charred trees, there was now an ashen glen with a burned tree stump in the center. A hole occupied the stump and curiously I approached. Tsuna stomped up behind us blocking us from moving toward the stump.
"Tsuna, what are you doing?"
"You don't need to see what's ahead." He said simply, in a solemn tone.
"Do you know what happened here?"
"The fire is out, we should return to Ahtohallan immediately." He said, not answering my question.
"Tsuna," I urged,
"We're too late." He muttered, "Raevich will rise as the Clan of Shadow, descendants of those that sealed him away, have been slaughtered."
My eyes widened as I grabbed Niklas's hand as I would have to repeat all this information to him.
"H-How do you know this?" I muttered.
"A small puddle remains below that I could see through into their home. There are no survivors."
Tears filled my eyes as I cupped my hands around my mouth. I scrunched my face trying to remember how to breathe as Niklas desperately asked what was wrong. I looked up at him dropping my hands to my side.
"Anna killed the people who lived here,"
His eyes widened as his expression matched how I felt.
"Are you sure?" Niklas reasoned, "There is no proof."
"It was her," I muttered.
"We should regroup in Ahtohallan," Tsuna said, "if you're to face Raevich, we must resume your training. If time was urgent before, it's even more now."
I looked up at Niklas as I felt an alarm go off in my head.
"The kids, I need to see them," I muttered, trying to keep calm.
"Okay," Niklas replied, "Let's check-in."
I nodded as I took a deep breath closing my eyes and conjuring a snowball just like Royan taught me those years ago. Picturing their bedrooms, I figured they would be getting ready for bed. I visualized every detail as it appeared in the snowball, but immediately I felt unnerved.
"Where are they?" I said, my voice raising.
"Easy," Niklas whispered, "They're probably somewhere else," He said gripping my shoulder. My worry steadily increased as I tried to visualize my Aunt Isidora. If Alex and Lily weren't in bed yet, they had to be with her. The image of her appeared on the surface of the snow with Hans and Olaf with her, along with a group of guards.
"The prince and princess are missing. Search everywhere until we find them." Aunt Isidora shouted.
Those words echoed in my ears as I dropped the snowball breaking on the ground at my feet. The all-too-familiar sensation of fear was rising within every inch of me. I couldn't remember how to breathe for a moment and the world began to spin. Before anything else was said, Niklas pulled me into his arms holding me. He whispered three simple words into my ear.
"We'll find them,"