It was all too easy to lose one's self in the mist, and not just literally. The mist covered the sky, you see, and sometimes it got so thick that day looked like night. And it all just blended into each other from one day to the next. Time held no sway here, and the forest cared not of its passing.

But there was something different about today. Restless. He could smell it in the wind; feel it in the earth. Something's changed.

That's when he heard it, a fell voice carried on the breeze. Singing. It tugged at the corners of his cape beckoning him south where the border lay, the line he had drawn all those years ago.

"Why do you want me back there?" His voice, deep, adamant, yet still full of youth, could be heard despite the loud murmurings of the dark sea. "I know. I feel it too. I could barely make a flurry these past few…" He was going to say 'days', but again with the mist and all, "times."

He grew quiet as if he were listening to half a conversation only he could hear, "Arendelle? I want nothing to do with that evil place or the people that live there! The last time you told me to trust any of them, I wound up losing someone dear to me. What makes you think I'd listen to you now?"

Again there was that silence that stretched on, but somehow in some way was not empty. The breeze from before grew stronger, louder like it was arguing with him.

After a while, he relented, "Fine. But don't expect me to stay there long. Whatever you want to show me, it better be quick."

The boy with his trusty shepherd's staff began his leisurely stroll down towards the southern border.

It had been an age the last time he was here, yet the memories of that day clung on to him still new like freshly fallen snow; it didn't help with his patience. It was only at the wind's behest that he stood staring at the wall of mist waiting for something he did not yet know, and after a while longer, did not care, "This is a waste of time. I'm leaving-"

But stopped just as he was about to turn back; back to his grief and self-loathing.

It was faint, but he could almost feel that same pull that helped convince him to come back here in the first place. What was it? Why was he drawn to it so? He peered into the fog as if staring harder would somehow show him the answer. With a curious, almost enchanted look on his face, he approached the wall, and, when he was close enough, reached out to place a hand on it. Little did he know that on the other side…

Elsa placed her hand in the mist, and like a curtain, it drew apart to reveal a path. She felt her sister's hand squeeze tighter around hers.

"Promise we do this together," Anna told her.

"I promise," was Elsa's reply.

With that, her, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven took their first steps into the unknown... and immediately got their first taste of magic that wasn't from Elsa.

"Woah! Hey, no pushing!"

"Okay, this is too fast. Too fast!"

The wind swirled around them, pushing them deeper into the mist. So strong was the gale that they stumbled, and in Elsa's case, her feet could barely keep up. It was only a matter of time before she- "Oof!"

Huh, funny. The ground seemed to be softer on this side of the mist, or so Elsa thought. That was when before she opened her eyes and was met with the bluest of blues she had ever seen in her entire life staring right back at her.

"Uh."

"Uh."

"Elsa, you okay?" Anna, only noticing then that Elsa still hadn't gotten up from her little tumble, asked in concern.

Elsa and the man she was currently astride turned their heads towards Anna with faces that looked like they'd just been caught doing something… inappropriate.

"Uh."

"Uh." They so eloquently reiterated, before looking back at each other then back at Anna then back at each other. It took Elsa two double-takes before her embarrassment told her to get off the poor fellow.

"Oh my goodness! I-I am *so* sorry!" Elsa scrambled to her feet and patted her dress down more out of nerves than to actually make herself presentable. "I didn't mean t- please forgive me."

The man, for the most part, didn't look too embarrassed, well, not as much as her at least, but instead was staring at her with the most curious expression, like he couldn't believe that she was even talking to him.

That was when she realized, 'Wait, a native! What luck!' All the questions she could ask him; their little enterprise was off to a good start! "So, do you, um, live around here?"

The man just kept staring at her. Maybe he didn't understand? Does he even speak Swedish?

"Elsa?" Came her sister's concerned tone again.

"Oh! Right, Anna, of course. Where are my manners?"

She giggled. Giggled! Anna was starting to get really creeped out now.

"I should introduce myself first. Hello, my name is Elsa-"

"Elsa."

"—Hold on Anna, let me just- and this is Anna my sister, and over there are Kristoff, Olaf, and Sv-"

"—Elsa! Who are you talking to?"

This one's going to be a slow burn, guys.

Warning: spoilers for frozen 2 ahead!