As they approached, they saw the horizon full of large anchored ships, the coast full of boats, and a large number of soldiers everywhere, busy with different tasks: building tents, moving supplies, sharpening weapons...
"What now?" Elsa said, horrified at the idea of having to deal with another enemy as well.
"Look!" Astrid said then.
A little further on they could see the characteristic Northuldra tents. Elsa sighed in relief.
An arrow whistled near them and they then saw how the soldiers moved like frightened ants, looking for places to take refuge or bows to face the dragon that had appeared in the sky.
Elsa quickly raised a shield of ice around them, stopping or deflecting a new wave of arrows that sought to bring them down, but soon they began to hear echoes of screams in which the order to a cease-fire was given.
When they were sure of receiving no more attacks, Elsa dissolved the shield and Fury was able to land in the middle of the camp, before the astonished gaze of most of the soldiers.
With a quick glance, Elsa was able to make out emblems from several nearby kingdoms, including the Southern Islands. The mere memory of Hans gave her a chill, but the truth was that his brothers had nothing to do with him.
"Elsa!" Said a voice behind them. "You have returned!"
"Olaf!"
They both gave each other a warm hug.
"What is going on? What is all this?"
Elsa was still stunned, looking around her and recognizing even more emblems.
"Well... I thought that when you're in trouble, the best thing to do is asking your friends for help. Living with Anna, I was in charge of sending communications to our neighbors many times, so, after what happened in the forest, I wrote them to ask for advice on how to fight dragons or immortals. Before long, soldiers began to arrive from all over and we had to settle here on the coast. I'm sorry, I didn't expect them to start sending people here..." The snowman's expression darkened. "Are you angry?"
Elsa couldn't believe it.
"Angry? I'm delighted! Thank you very much, Olaf!"
"Yeah!" Astrid seconded. "You save our ass!"
The snowman laughed delightedly.
"Your highness."
Elsa turned to see a red-haired man with long sideburns kneeling in front of her. She didn't need to look at the emblem on his armor to know where it came from.
"I am Caleb, firstborn of the Southern Islands."
"Please, get up," Elsa asked. "I am not a queen anymore and I do not deserve such treatment. In any case, I should be the one to bow down to you."
"No way," he said. "Not after what my brother did to you."
"So... let's put aside the formalities?"
"So be it." The man smiled and got up. "Allow me to offer my apologies again for everything that happened with Hans. My father sends us in the hope that we can finally make up for that terrible fault since, as you know, we have few commercial contracts and have not been able to redeem ourselves until today. I swear on my honor that we will help you in any way possible, even if it costs us our lives."
"I hope it won't be necessary," Elsa replied, visibly uncomfortable.
The different commanders of the realms had been gathering around her.
"Please," Elsa asked them, "take us to a quiet place where we can talk and we can properly inform you of the situation."
They were led to a large tent and there Elsa and Astrid related everything that had happened and all their discoveries. The faces of the commanders grew grimmer, but women saw no hint of fear in them.
"I know this may not be the enemy you expected and some of you may prefer to go home. If so, please do it. I assure you that in no case will relations with Arendelle be affected in the least, "Elsa said.
No one answered and no one moved.
"Alright... in that case, first of all, thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. And second, you would better bring your troops up to speed. We will go talk to the Northuldra and then we should meet to discuss the strategy to follow."
"When do you think would be the best time to attack?" Caleb asked.
Elsa and Astrid looked at each other.
"As soon as possible," Astrid replied.
"In that case, we would better start," commented another commander, getting to his feet. "With your permission."
The rest of the commanders followed him and left the tent.
Elsa walked over to Caleb, who was about to leave as well, and touched his arm to get his attention.
"Caleb, please don't go yet. We have something to talk to you about. It is about Hans."
The redhead, a little surprised and, above all, curious, nodded and waited patiently for the tent to empty.
The allied army was positioned on the outskirts of Arendelle. Elsa wore ice armor, since a normal one was too uncomfortable and, above all, too heavy. Astrid, on the other hand, wore thick armor with which she handled herself better than many of the soldiers who accompanied them. Even Fury had agreed to carry certain metal plates to protect herself from potential archers. The commanders accompanied them, followed by all their troops, all armed in their best armor, ready for battle. About two thousand soldiers in all, marching in unison, clanging their weapons and armor. Even some Northuldra had wanted to fight in this battle. It was impossible that the spirit had not noticed it, and yet no one came to meet them.
They waited a long time, not sure what to do. Finally, Fury threw an attack from a distance against one of the castle's battlements, producing a huge hole and a small collapse, and a few minutes later, Anna appeared on Toothless's back and approached them.
"What a way to say good morning!" She said from above. "I was giving you the time to see if you would turn around, but I see you have no interest in it. Also, I see you have managed to gather an army and everything! Very good, Elsa!"
"Anna!" Elsa yelled from the ground. "I am so sorry I charged you with the responsibility of the kingdom! I'm really sorry I've been so absent lately! I'm absolutely sorry!"
"Oh! I see you have done your homework, Elsa. But let me save you the effort: that will not work, at least with your little sister. I learned a long time ago that it is best not to let my host knowing what is going on. And trust me, Anna is not listening to you."
Elsa bit her lip, frustrated, causing a bit of blood.
"Where's Hiccup?" Astrid yelled at him.
"The Viking? Do not worry, we are treating him very well. Better than I would really like, actually. I have not seen a more stubborn person in my entire life. And believe me! I have met a lot of people. If it were not because this little guy is so fond of him..." It stroked Toothless's neck. "But hey, keeping him alive is a small price to pay considering what I get in return."
Astrid suddenly stiffened at those words.
"We have to get out of here..." she said to Elsa in a low, uneasy voice.
"What?"
The Arendellian couldn't believe it.
"Let me thank you, Elsa," the spirit continued. "If you had not frozen everything, blocking my ships and the ways of the kingdom, you would not have forced me to look for an alternative and I would not have found Toothless. Lucky me, I found a book in the library where the existence of dragons was revealed to me. What extraordinary creatures, right?! And how elusive... It took me a bit to find them, as hidden as they were, but the effort was worth it: right now my army is invincible. Thanks to you, I will finally be able to carry out my revenge!"
"What revenge are you talking about? What have we done to you?"
"Oh no, dear. It has nothing to do with you or your kingdom; you are only the tools to achieve my goal. My hatred is directed to a distant realm. A kingdom that I forged myself, leaving my skin on it. And do you know how they paid me?"
"With an arrow to the chest perhaps?" Astrid replied teasingly, still looking around her, alert.
"Exactly..." The spirit, taken by surprise, found itself rubbing the spot where it was hit by the projectile. "Since they decided to erase me from their history, I have only had in mind the idea of recovering that kingdom, of seizing the power that was taken from me, and of obtaining the recognition I deserve for all that I strived on fighting. I could settle for any other kingdom? Sure, but first love is never forgotten, and that was love at first sight. And now I can finally burn it to ashes, smashing everything the usurpers have built, to shape a new kingdom, greater and more powerful than any other. And, of course, I will erase those two ungrateful from history just as they did with me..."
With a little touch on the dragon's side, it made him put more distance between them.
"I can see from your faces that you have done your homework really well and you know exactly what I am talking about, so we would better stop chatting and move on to what really matters: taking over this little army you have gathered for me."
"Ahead! Come get it if you dare!" The Viking challenged.
The city gates opened and Kristoff emerged leading an army of men, women, children, trolls, and even animals. But it was not what drowned a cry in Elsa's throat and made the hearts of everyone present constrict, but the imposing army of dragons that darkened the sky over the city, each one with its armed rider.
The spirit had a great time seeing their faces.
"Let the game begin!"