~Chapter 20~

Marcus

I wasn't powerful enough to stop him. Though I got myself to the volcano there was nobody around and the door that I opened for him last time was ajar. There were subtle tremors going off below my feet and it made me quite unnerved. I considered whether or not to return to Arendelle, but Elsa was in Ahtohallan. I knew where I could wait for her once she came back to the mainland. It wouldn't be long and I was desperate to see her again. My body was still adjusting for the months of inactivity I had endured. As I waited along the shore, pacing across the sandy surface, the tides were beginning to come in. To entertain myself, I would blast fireballs across the surface of the water as one would a skipping stone. Feeling the surge in energy from my fire really helped reassure me that I was alive. It felt better than I could have imagined. Though I looked up as I heard the sound of racing horse hooves in the distance. When I saw her, I swear, all the problems I had been thinking about disappeared. The moment she ran into my arms, I desperately wished I could have made time stop. I had missed this so much. Our reunion was brief because the ground began to quake beneath our feet. A magma covered dragon practically exploded out of the volcano and I saw my uncle flying on its back. The dragon sailed down lower as hot magma dripped off it splashing against the ground below scorching everything it hit. Elsa quickly blasted it with ice so it wouldn't spread.

"The age of Kuva the Tyrant shall begin again," James shouted.

The creature dove low and Elsa and I fell to the ground to duck to avoid getting slammed by the dragon. James began to laugh as Elsa blasted ice at it, but it didn't faze it. I helped Elsa off the ground as the creature began spewing fire from its mouth engulfing the forest in flames.

"What is going on? None of this makes sense, but I know one thing for sure, my uncle is responsible for the deaths of countless lives in Kalde. He will answer for his crimes." I said clenching my hands into fists. Elsa interlocked her fingers with mine looking at me with a serious gaze.

"I don't think your uncle is behind this."

"Sure he is. He's the one riding that creature, we should stop him before he destroys the whole forest and Arendelle."

I tried to pull Elsa along, but she didn't budge. She always was one to act quickly, but I was confused by her hesitancy.

"I saw a memory in Ahtohallan. I don't think the actions of James are him exactly. I think he was corrupted by Kuva himself."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I saw it first hand, I saw your father and James as boys and even young men and I saw everything. I think they accidentally released the spirit of Kuva and Kuva is playing host to your uncle. So the actions of his adulthood were not his own."

"So James is being used as a human conduit."

"Exactly."

I didn't see what Elsa saw in Ahtohallan, but it's not like I needed to investigate the source of where this information came from. My old friend Bruni was watching us from a nearby rock and ran over to us. Though we had no time for a friendly reunion, Elsa gave him instructions to join the other spirits with Anna in Arendelle. Bruni didn't hesitate and lit up in a purple flame and took off quickly.

"So what do you suggest we do?" I asked Elsa, "We should go make sure the Northuldrans are alright."

"I really want to see if I can find the original cave where Kuva was sealed that I saw in Ahtohallan. It has to be close, it was near a waterfall and there are several in this enchanted forest. I need to be thorough, but there's no time. We should split up."

My eyes widened in surprise, I thought she was kidding at first, but then I realized that she was completely serious.

"Elsa, no!" I said pulling her close, "I just got you back. We can't split up."

Elsa cupped my face in her hands as she gently kissed me trying to reassure me, but it didn't. She pulled away grabbing my hands in hers.

"Marcus, there's no time. This situation is bigger than us."

"Elsa…" I muttered, glumly.

"I know, but we can do this." She smiled, "Please Marcus, somebody needs to protect my grandmother Elise and the rest of the Northuldrans."

My wife's determination and resolve was strong and I knew that in the end splitting up was necessary.

"Once I get them somewhere safe, where will we meet?" I asked.

"Outside the forest where the four spirit stones are placed. I'll be there as soon as I can." She replied.

"Alright." I muttered.

"Okay." She nodded.

I kissed her quickly and pulled back holding her left hand fishing her wedding ring out of my pocket.

"Let's put this back where it belongs, yeah?" I smirked.

"I'm sorry my amnesiac self ever took it off." She replied.

I slid her ring back on her finger and we both turned and I began to run in the opposite direction as she mounted her horse and took off herself. I didn't have a horse, but I was a capable runner. Finding the Northuldrans would be tricky in this dense forest, but Elsa was counting on me. With the breakouts of fire, I doubt I could pinpoint the Northuldra camp from the smoke of their bonfire, but it didn't take long for me to hear shrill screaming. It was coming from the west and I wasted no time and took off in that general direction. The heat from the fire didn't bother me at all, so that made trekking through the forest that much easier. Though in the distance where Elsa galloped off, I saw blasts of snow and ice splash out above the burning trees. For once, my wife would be easy to keep tabs on amidst all the smoldering fires around the area.

I couldn't say I was immune to fire, but the intensity of the flames affected me differently. Though my own powers of fire definitely did me little service to save me from the smoke inhalation. It was rough, but I pressed on trying to cover my mouth and nose with the fabric from my shirt. The screams continued to ring out, but what also helped was seeing fleeing reindeer bolt toward me. I eventually found the encampment and tried to get the terrified Northuldran's attention or stop them from running away. I couldn't immediately spot Yelana, but Elise was found trying to round up some horses, but they were all spooked and terrified.

"Elise!" I called out running toward her.

She looked up toward me surprised to see me and pulled two horses by the reins to me.

"What are you doing here? You need to go now that creature from the volcano has emerged."

"I'm here to help," I insisted, "Elsa wanted to be sure the Northuldrans were protected."

"Not entirely sure how a wielder of fire magic can protect us from a creature of fire." another chimed in from behind us. Yelana was with a few other villagers with a fierce intensity showing in her eyes.

"We have to get you all to safety." I urged, "The forest is going up in flames fast."

"Retreating to the shores of the water would be best for us, but we can't abandon the forest, it's our home." Yelana pressed.

"It can't be helped. My wife once gave her life so the curse of the forest could be lifted and you all could be free. You shouldn't repay her with reckless endangerment. We're going to stop that creature."
"Kuva the Tyrant." Yelana muttered.

"You know him?"

"Only from legends my great grandmother shared years ago when I was a little girl." Yelana replied.

"Well I'll need to know more, but for now, we need to get somewhere safe. Elsa said she'd meet me at the four stones just outside the forest boundary..."

"That's south and from here it looks like it's all up in smoke and flame." Elise added.

"We have to try." I urged,

"No Marcus, come with us. We must regroup on the shores to the north. We can wait out these fires there. I'm not going to put my people in danger."

"If you wait out these fires, there won't be any forest left. Elsa can't this all out on her own. I believe in her, but there's too much, not to mention the smoke inhalation."

"Why don't we find shelter along the river?" Elise suggested, "It's closer to the stones and still near water."

Yelana and I exchanged looks and nodded in agreement at the compromise. We all took off with

Elise and Yelana leading the group toward the river.

The fires all around us raged and I felt completely worthless because I couldn't help put out the fires. The flames were too big to extinguish anyway, so I watched with the Northuldrans as their home burned. As they set up a makeshift camp for the night, they all began to chant a tune. I helped them pitch up their tents as I listened to the song. The melody sounded sad.

"What are they singing about?" I asked Elise.

"It's the hymn of melancholy." She replied.

"I wish I could help put out the fires, Elsa would be quite useful right now."

"She may be the fifth spirit, but even she can't take everything on her shoulders." Elise nodded patting my shoulder. "Where did she go exactly?"

"To find some answers about something Ahtohallan showed her." I replied.

"Then all the luck to her then." Yelana chimed in sitting beside Elise and I.

I looked up at these kind people and my heart did ache for them that they lost their home. I have felt similar losses with that of Kalde and Arendelle both. Though I was only a baby when Kalde fell, but going back those many months ago and seeing it for the first time as an adult was hard. I watched nearby as mothers and fathers tried to distract their kids from wandering off. Ryder and Honeymaren eventually joined the group after rounding up a few reindeer, but the herd was scattered and there was nothing more they could do now and I could see how unnerved it made them. The air was thick with greying smoke and my lungs were irritated. I heard a few other Northuldrans coughing in sporadic intervals.

"Should we be worrying about smoke inhalation? I still think we should try for the four stones." I said, glancing at Yelana.

"Drink water and stay low to the ground. It will pass." Yelana nodded.

I tried to keep my breathing steady and got up walking a few feet to the river's edge and cupped some water in my hands to drink. It definitely helped. I made my way back and sat across from Yelana looking at her intently.

"So what can you tell me about Kuva the Tyrant?" I asked getting right to the point, "Any information you have from the stories you were told will be helpful."

"As a young girl, I always thought my great grandmother told them to spook us kids. Some adults would tease that if we ignored the elementals of nature or disobeyed our parents, Kuva the Tyrant would come take you away."

"Someone told you that as a kid? That's terrifying." I replied.

"Indeed, "Yelana agreed, "My great grandmother told me about the dark spirit who was once a source of light among nature. Though when humans started to be gifted with magic powers of the elements, Kuva grew mad with hate and jealousy. He believed only the elemental spirits deserved such abilities and that humans would abuse such power. Legends say that to protect their kingdom and their lives, two elemental powered siblings lured Kuva to a magical prison and sealed him away."

"Seems easy enough," I interrupted, "But is there anything in the legend about destroying Kuva? I'd rather not give him an opportunity to break out again."

"I'm sorry, I don't know." Yelana replied, sounding glum, "Elsa is the fifth spirit, surely she can take him down."

"Kuva corrupted her once, I'm not letting that happen again." I said.

"This is bigger than all of us." Elise added.

"I just hope we can find the solution before Kuva destroys everything." I replied.

Though from the looks of this forest, it was crumbling to ash before our eyes. Yelana wanted us to spend the night by the river, but with the fires beginning to die down, I urged the Northuldrans toward the four stones. Elsa would meet me there and hopefully she would find something concrete to help the fight against Kuva.