At dusk, the three of them were on the outskirts of Arendelle, sheltered by darkness.
"Before we start... well, I just wanted to tell you I'm really sorry... for everything," Elsa said, crouching behind a tree, her voice shaking.
Nobody said anything for a few seconds. Then Hiccup sighed uncomfortably.
"Let's focus on the task before us. We will have time to talk."
They all agreed and Elsa shook her head to clear it.
"It's fine. Let's do this."
Taking advantage of the darkness and Elsa's knowledge, they moved through the city, from alley to alley, until they reached the foot of the castle. They came across very few people, so it was easy to leave them behind unseen. Once there, Elsa created some ice steps so they managed to scale the wall. Luckily, they didn't find any guards there.
"Well, what now?" Astrid said, ax in hand.
"I'm going to see Anna," Elsa answered firmly.
"Let's find Toothless," Hiccup said at the same time.
The two looked at each other, between awkward and defiant. It was clear that each had their own motivations in this raid and they didn't want to postpone them.
"We would better split," Elsa suggested at last.
"I agree," Hiccup said, relaxing. "See you at camp?"
"Yes."
"I don't think it's a good idea to split up," Astrid said. "C'mon guys! We don't know what's happening, and let me remind you that we've already been kicked our ass once. Together we're stronger."
"But now we're the ones with the surprise factor on our side," Hiccup argued. "We have to take advantage of it."
"I agree," Elsa seconded.
"But..."
"Be careful, Elsa," said Hiccup who, despite his anger, was fond of her.
"You too."
And, without wasting a second, Elsa ducked inside the castle while Hiccup launched to climb up a ledge.
"Hiccup! Elsa!" Astrid said, trying not to raise her voice too much, but neither of them paid any attention to her. "Now what do I do?"
Elsa made her way through the corridors as stealthily as she could, heading straight for Anna's room. If she still knew something of her sister, she would be there. On the way, she met only two guards whom she outwitted without difficulty until, finally, she found herself in front of that door that she knew so well.
Instinctively, she started to knock, but then, remembering the assault on the Northuldra camp, the fury within her revived and she slammed the door in.
When she opened it she saw Anna sitting by the fire, in a dressing gown, enjoying a glass of wine. She was wearing her pajamas, but her crown still rested majestically on her head.
"Hey, Elsa! Where are your manners? You have to respect the furniture!"
Elsa stopped, bewildered. Anna didn't seem surprised to see her.
"Come in and close, the heat is leaving."
Astrid, not knowing who to go after, finally decided to take a tour of the castle to ensure the exit. She wanted to make sure it wasn't a cheat. Thus, she walked the wall controlling the movements of the guards that were prowling there. Nobody seemed to have noticed their presence and everything seemed to be in order, so she decided to go back to the place they had entered and see if either of them had returned.
However, halfway something caught her eye: a pair of guards escorted a platoon of about ten soldiers who were walking in perfect sync. Fearful, she decided to follow them.
Hiccup knew that Toothless would prefer a high place to rest, so he kept climbing until he reached the highest tower in the castle, where he managed to sneak through a window. As he did so, he encountered Toothless, who was quietly resting on a bed of straw and ash.
"Bud! You're here! Perfect!"
The dragon opened one eye and stared at him with a blank expression. Then he stood up, showing his teeth.
"Come on, Toothless. It's me! Hiccup!"
The dragon approached him, threatening, and the Viking was backing away little by little.
"Come on, buddy. We've been through this before..."
Hiccup reached out his hand, as he had done so many times in the past, but Toothless didn't flinch and opened his jaws. The Viking could see the back of his throat light up, and memories of his father's death shook him inside.
"Oh, my... That's interesting!"
"Come on, Elsa, don't make me beg. I've been waiting for you for days! Come sit with your sister. I have so much to tell you...!"
Elsa, ignoring her words, approached Anna and surrounded her, ready to throw her magic at any moment.
"What is happening, Anna? What is all this?"
"This? Just wine, don't worry," she said, innocent. "A good reservation that father had in the cellar. You should try it!"
Anna gave a small sip of her cup.
"Stop teasing me!" Elsa exploded. "Where are the spirits of the forest? What have you done with them?"
"Don't worry, they are well guarded. They are really stubborn, yes. But now that you are here, it will be easier."
"Easier, what? What are you talking about?!" Elsa exclaimed, desperate. She took some air to calm her down and relaxed her arms before continuing. "Anna, I know we've been slightly distanced lately, and whatever it is in what you have gotten, we can fix it, but I need you to tell me what is happening. I'm with you."
Anna, moved by her sister's words, rested the cup on the fireplace ledge and got up with open arms.
"Oh, Elsa!"
Elsa felt the impulse of approaching her and hugging her, but she also felt that she shouldn't do it. Confused, she took a good look at her sister and, then, she saw a kind of black aura emanating from her entire body.
"No..." she put a hand to his mouth. Then she regained her defensive posture and froze her sister's feet. "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"
"Elsa! What are you doing? What are you talking about?" Anna answered, her face broken as she tried to free herself from the ice block.
"Stop playing with me! I know you're not Anna!"
The attitude of her sister completely changed.
"Oh, I see! So you can see me? Not bad, to be honest. I guess it's normal: you're the fifth spirit after all."
Elsa, angry, created more ice until she left Anna -or whoever was impersonating her- frozen waist down.
"You're going to tell me who you are and what is happening here," she said with tight teeth. "One way or another."
Hico turned, frightened, as he heard that voice, but he didn't see anyone. Then he led his sight again to Toothless, who had stopped his attack and was completely motionless.
"So the dragon killed your father... So sad!"
"Who-who is speaking?" Hiccup said, unsuccessfully trying to locate the source of that voice again.
"Poor Stoick... What a horrible death... And everything because you did not listen to him."
Hiccup shook his head trying to get rid of that feeling of guilt that had tormented him in the past for so long. It was a long time since he managed to forgive himself.
"Come on... It is normal to feel bad about something like that. It is a really tragic event!"
"Toothless," Hiccup said, trying to ignore that voice. "I'm here with you. We've come to look for you. Please, I need you to react."
"And just when he had managed to recover his lost love!"
"Please, bud... We have to get out of here and look for Astrid."
He felt a twinge of chest pain on remembering his wife.
"Oh, wow! There is more? What has that been?"
Hiccup felt a strange presence in his head, as if his body was lighter.
"Astrid and Elsa! Oh, poor, poor boy... betrayed by the person who loves the most in the world."
"Astrid hasn't betrayed me!" He stirred, angry.
"Hasn't she?! In that case... Could you tell me where is she? Or rather, with whom?"
Hiccup felt his legs faltering by not knowing what to answer.
"Oh, poor, poor boy..."