Should I do away with the author's notes? I mean, I enjoy sharing my current thoughts given that my mouth is normally glued shut most of the day, but I know there are readers out there who'd think these things may detract from the writing: In fact, I got one guy who suggested this a while ago in a parting review before he stopped following my story.

That is actually awesome. More people should add some constructive criticism if they choose to leave a work, just as a token of farewell and respect.

Also, RohnHazard is officially on hiatus in proof-reading duty, so this is yet another UNEDITED chapter. I've already got one offer from a follower to help out, but I'm still deciding whether or not it is more beneficial just to deal with editing myself. I'm still thinking about it, though!

Chapter 21

We Can Work This Out Together

"...Who are you?" Elsa asked, scowling hard at the hulking monster before her.

The said creature stared back at the Snow Queen, standing only a couple meters shorter than the prismatic ice wall that she erected against him. "The little girl wants to know who am I, how adorable..."

"You haven't answered my question, giant!" Elsa snapped, clicking her heel against the shimmering ice. The magically-crafted structure shivered in response, and sprouted an array of icicles that angled themselves toward the beast, each conical spike longer and thicker than a human's forearm.

The giant crossed his thick and scarred arms, unfazed by the platinum-blonde's intimidation display. "While my name is none of your concern, simian, I wouldn't have you just generalize me…" he sniffed. "I suppose I will at least tell you what I am." Standing up straight and tall, with the crown of his bald head approaching closer to the wall's height, he knocked on his barrel chest with thick knuckles four times. It was an unfamiliar gesture, but anyone would have quickly identified it as a form of introductory greeting. "I am what many had uttered in terror of days past, when lesser ilk such as humans still understood their place and hid from the rest of the world, cowering away as beings of old roamed the land free, unchallenged. I am one of the feared, I am one of the hated, I am one of the revered." The monster grinned, revealing even more of his moss-colored teeth. "I am a Bergrisi."

"That's quite a mouthful you have there..." Elsa remarked, trying to sound casual by drawling her voice out. Clicking her heel against the barricade once more, she willed the gleaming spikes to conspicuously edge even closer to the Bergrisi's center of mass, yet another signal to make sure that she wasn't one to be toyed with. "Given that you are actively not trying to tear down this wall right away, I have reason to believe you are willing to talk."

The giant froze, and the skin on his forehead creased and formed ridges as his shadowed eyes widened. If the Queen didn't know any better, she would have the she'd taken the beast by surprise, even pleasantly so. "Hm... you have a point, human. Perhaps it's because you have taken a strong hold of my curiosity, what with this blatant and impressive use of elemental magic you have there." Leaning close, the Bergrisi flicked the wall with a grey finger, causing the ice to quake violently beneath the Queen's feet; she was forced to wave her arms outwards just so she couldn't slip backwards.

The monster smirked at Elsa, and exhaled a little too close for her comfort: it was surprisingly lacking in both temperature and stench, smelling more like peat than anything else, but its sheer volume and magnitude made her skin crawl as if she was dangling in front of the breathing, gaping maws of a very living Earth. "Now it is my turn to be the one asking questions, girl: What exactly are you, and why are you so interested in blocking me off from the fishing village?"

The Queen of Ice and Snow clenched her teeth, even as the cogs inside her head spun in overtime. If this creature is truly willing to hold off violence just so he could maintain a conversation, she thought,I should humor him. Buy some time, think of some strategies and alternate approaches to stave him off. He seemed impressed enough, perhaps we can avoid bloodshed if I can just convince him to stop…

That's wishful thinking, Elsa.

I know...The Snow Queen quietly placed a hand behind her back, glowing motes gathering at her fingertips in concealment. ...But if you're right, at least it wouldn't be for lack of trying.

She breathed long and slow through her nose, and took a single step forward, her jaw set in resolution, her voice ringing with authority. "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Mister Bergrisi." she declared. "Contrary to what you may think, Arendelle is not a simple settlement, but an entire kingdom spanning across the mountains and the fields... including a certain little village west from here. Earlier, its people were forced to take shelter in my town because it was terrorized by a certain monster..." Her face twisted in anger, and power began to collect in the air around her, manifesting as heavy, snowflake-instilled mist that pooled around her shoes and down both sides of the walls. "If that creature turned out to be you, I'm going to hold you accountable for their losses."

The giant blinked. He gaped absentmindedly at the Snow Queen with his mouth slightly parted, when he tucked in his square jaw as his body began to shake. "Gu-..." His shoulders hopped with a hiccup before proceeding at a regular tempo, increasing as a sound emerged from his chest. "Gura-..." It grew louder and louder, starting out as simple little huffs of air until it finally graduating into something akin to choking, his bulging belly bouncing up and down.

Elsa blinked. The Bergrisi was laughing.

"Gurahahahaha!" he roared, shaking icicles off the barricade with his voice alone, once more destabilizing the Queen from her standing posture. The giant threw his head backwards as he broke down into full-on guffaws, his mouth wide open with scornful mirth. "Oh, that is just rich. What, you're telling me that Adam the Adventurer decided to send his wife, rather than face me himself like the good old days?" he mocked, wiping tears from his shaded eyes with the back of a finger. "That man should know better-"

"-Adam is dead." Elsa coldly interrupted. "I don't know what you have been doing all this time, since you seem to know him so personally, but he's been deceased for centuries."

The words might as well have been a chunk of ice lobbed at the Bergrisi: his previously affable mood made a complete turnaround, marked by the breakneck sobering of his aged granite face. He glared at Elsa as if to discern deception, a favor which she returned with dispassionate, coldly blue eyes. Several tense seconds passed by with the two trading gazes, before the Bergrisi finally broke away with a sigh, unpleased by what he discovered.

"Hmph." he remarked. "I've forgotten how humans don't naturally last long... stupid really. If he was such a hero to others, than he should have taken up position as a Sage or something." The Bergrisi's expression twisted in absolute fury without warning, and he drew his hand into a fist the size of a barrel before slamming it against the crystalline wall. The force behind the strike was astounding, and while both the fortification and Elsa managed not to collapse, the entire structure rattled violently from the inside, prompting the trees fortifying it to whisper angrily though their leaves, and for the pillar supports in the back to chip and crumble. Slivers of ice bounced away as Elsa hugged tightly to her structure, fearing that she may fall over.

Faint crackles popping from below prompted the platinum-blonde to look down: Deep within the barricade, a single web-like crack sprawled, a mark bleeding dull red against the translucent blue ice.

A couple of lethal-looking icicles dropped unceremoniously from the Bergrisi hand, leaving behind only faint scratches on tough skin. "Unfortunately for you..." he growled, all traces of humor now removed from his face. "Arendelle no longer has anyone to stop me from its destruction."

"Why though?" Elsa asked, standing back up to look at the Bergrisi in the eye. Her cape billowed as the wind started to pick up speed, illuminated by flecks of snow that gave shape and dimension to the air itself. The effects were stunning from an outsider's perspective, and even the giant was spellbound into looking following the flowing air. The Snow Queen flicked her wrist, commanding to snow to wrap around her in a stunning veil. "Your Adam the Adventurer is no longer here, Mister Bergrisi. Why must you target Arendelle now, when it hasn't offended you in generations? There is literally nothing left here that could possibly merit revenge anymore!" She swiped a hand behind her, flipping her cape in the process. "Why must you still seek to destroy?"

The monster bared his tombstone teeth in a grin, one too ferocious and too wide to be associated as human. "Because a hideous child from the South doesn't know his place, stinking up the air with his foul mist, waking me from my slumber..." Rolling his shoulders and fingers to the mottled sound of popping joints, he added: "He wants to destroy Arendelle and its people. Might as well pay great insult to him by robbing him of the deed."

Wait, what? "Could you be possibly referring to the Spøkelse of Ravendall?" the platinum-blonde blurted out.

The giant tilted his head. "Oh, so you know about his coming, don't you?"

This time, it was Elsa's turn to be completely flabbergasted by new information: Out of all the possible reasons, out of all the motives that could have been considered, the Bergrisi was going to attack the kingdom... because it specifically wanted to antagonize the Spøkelse. It was absolutely asinine, totally unreasonable! Why would the giant choose this? What does he possibly have to prove for himself? What sort of thought process could possibly lead to this conclusion?

At some point in Elsa's confusion, something must have triggered her mouth to run by itself; without thinking, she suggested: "Then... why don't we arrange an alliance together?" She sucked a breath in shock, but a realization halted her from withdrawing her statement - It was a wild idea to be sure, but she could use all the help she could get if it would make facing the Spøkelse easier. This giant obviously had his physical prowess, but that wasn't of any use against an angry, intangible spirit of power. Rather, the Snow Queen was much more interested in this creature's "knowledge": The Bergrisi was old, old enough to have walked the Earth before Arendelle was even established officially as a kingdom, equipped with the ability to survive for so long and yet behave so confidently in the face of an elemental sorceress. He might even understand the Spøkelse on a level that cannot be covered by books or trolls, providing details about the ghost capabilities, its hidden motivations, its current location, forgotten secrets that can quickly vanquish it...

...And what makes you think you can get him to join our side?

"Mister Bergrisi," Elsa began, ignoring the inner skeptic occupying the back of her head, "we both have a common enemy who we wish to rid off. Me because he intends to attack the people I love, and you because he has, um… insulted your presence. If we stand together against it, we can reduce the amount of bloodshed between us, and maybe stand a better chance of victory! This could possibly bring a benefit to us both!"

The monster stared for a couple of seconds, completely silent. And then… he laughed. It was taunting, scornful sound, full of hate and disdain for the person who dared to stand in front of him. Rearing his two boulder-sized fists backwards, he looked up at Elsa with a malicious glint twinkling in his eyes. "You truly are amusing, thinking that someone like me can do a thing against that simple child!" he remarked in between fits. "But... I cannot fight with you."

"Why not?" Elsa demanded, her standing on end, all of her instincts screaming at her to run.

"Gurahahahaha! Because you and Arendelle are no better!"

Elsa's heartbeat immediately doubled in pace, and she instinctively jumped down the wall with her hands held outwards, calling forth a massive snow pile below with a blinding flash of light. As the wind blew past her ears, the Snow Queen could just barely hear the Bergrisi howl mightily before she made impact, landing somewhat clumsily on her back but at least none worse for the wear. Spitting her braid out of her mouth, she jerked her head back to the wall, which was now subjected to an intense and vicious beatdown of massive fists. With every successive strike, the crack in the barricade expanded wider and wider, further compromising its structure.

Just as the Bergrisi landed yet another boulder-sized blow on her barricade, Elsa released a stream of ice that splashed against the wall, morphing into spiraling, sparkling tendrils to greet the giant's fist. The new construct stretched and meshed against the impact to cushion his momentum, before completely encasing the hand in an airtight tomb.

The Bergrisi glanced at newly-formed restraint placed on him, and then leered at the Snow Queen struggling to stand back on her feet. "Oh, so you think that freezing me away will solve all your problems, eh?" The space between his eyebrows creased as he strained in concentration, bringing into full relief a purple bulging, grotesque vein on his forehead. The frozen clump blew apart in seconds, flinging chunks of ice in all directions like bomb shells.

Dauntless, Elsa ducked and weaved through the falling debris to flick her wrist toward the ground - swarms of icicles sharp as spears sprouted at the blink of an eye, plunging directly into the Bergrisi's chest with a string of sickening thuds. The giant staggered back a couple of steps, coming dangerously close to topple onto the ground. Instead though, he dug his fingers into the unfortunate bark of a nearby tree to provide support and secure his footing. Flashing her a savage grin, he scraped embedded ice needles off his body as casually as one would dust themselves of dandruff.

"That... is just incredibly unfair." Elsa muttered. She fired a bolt at the forest floor once more, this time manifesting as a single, giant icicle thicker than trees at the base. It propelled itself forward with the speed of charging cavalry, almost guaranteed to run through the Bergrisi's tough hide and finally putting an end to the conflict. However, the giant's hand flashed in a grey blur in front of him, and half the entire spear sailed away in a graceful spin, splitting a tree down the middle meters away. "More, more! Gurahahahaha!" he screamed, the amethyst crystals on his back glowing brighter and hotter. "Don't tell me this is all you can give, simian! If you can't even hope to kill me, what possible chance do you have at Subjugation!?"

Elsa gasped, and dove in panic, scraping her arms and hands against the fallen twigs and forest refuse. A grey mass zoomed millimeters above her head less than a second later, upon which she turned on her back and counterattacked with another beam of ice. The projectile latched itself to the Bergrisi's elbow before creeping downwards to where his fist hit Earth, pinning him to the ground. It wasn't long before he wrenched himself free, but the time he took bought Elsa the opportunity to reposition herself and maintain fire. Flashes of bluish white light bounced off the clusters of ice, which was now beginning to outnumber the amount of trees left standing in the area.

The Bergrisi barked something unintelligible, and then slammed his palm to the ground - the floor beneath Elsa's feet seemed to melt and shift in ripples, kicking her high into the air with a whip-like flick. She waved her arms in a desperate attempt to stay upright, her dark eyebrows shooting upwards upon realizing that the giant was now charging gorilla-style, using his knuckles as fulcrums to propel himself forward. Without a moment to spare, she slammed her feet to the ground to freeze a single solid sheet of ice, one that crawled outwards in the direction of the creature. Not only did it manage to provide stable footing for the Snow Queen, but it also caused the Bergrisi to lose his, so he came crashing down in a high-speed, steamrolling heap that never connected with its target.

"Yes!" Elsa exclaimed, clenching a fist in exhilaration. The joy was quickly snuffed however, when the monster snorted, and pounded the rimed floor into smithereens with his hands and feet.

What are you doing, Elsa? She asked herself.

What?

You've been doing nothing but holding yourself back! You think these little magic shows will have an effect? He isn't ever going down, unless…

Elsa frowned. Unless…?

...There is an easy way. A simple way. You know what I'm talking about, do you?

Even as she raised her arms upwards to lock the Bergrisi in a cage of crystalline spires, the Snow Queen's heart skipped a beat or three in horror. No! she thought. I am not going to freeze anyone! No more!

Oh come on, he's not even human!

No! I will not subject anyone through that fate, through the pain that my sister went through. It… it just isn't right!

What choice do you have!?

"Yeah… what choice do you have?"

Elsa blinked rapidly back into focus, and slowly turned her head to the giant lolling his head against a snow spike. He eyed her lazily, and craned his neck to the side to crack miniscule nicks in the frost. "You seem conflicted, simian."

"What is running through my mind is none of your business, Mister Bergrisi." Frost gathered around the Snow Queen's body as she glowered at him. "I am only trying to find out the fastest way to be rid of your presence. If I have to k-... to kill you, then so be it."

"Gurahahahaha! You are nothing if not bold, human! Still, who'd have thought that Adam died, just to let some talentless kut like you run the village in his place?" The giant gnashed his teeth as his body visibly strained, applying pressure to his prison walls until it finally gave in, snapping into chunks that slid off from his body like breaking glaciers. "You know what, I might even decide to spare you!"

The Snow Queen blinked, her heart ramming against her ears with uncomfortable frequency. "What?"

The Bergrisi's face abruptly switched to the opposite spectrum, replacing excited bloodlust with an absolute, neutral mask - the effect was so jarring, it nearly escaped Elsa's grasp of of the situation. "You're so ineffectual, it's pathetic. I'm actually beginning to feel pity for just how hard you were trying…" He leered, a hint of contempt coloring the edge of his otherwise flat and husky voice. "I only have to destroy Arendelle after all. I could just stop playing, get back to destroying the wall? Wouldn't you like to keep your life, Elsa, when I should have just crushed you?"

Elsa's left eye twitched. "Spare me the talk, Mister Bergrisi. You've already proven your unwillingness for alternative solution."

The great beast shrugged. "I suppose you wouldn't change your mind, given that humans are social creatures and all... Naturally, you must have friends and family on the other side."

Shivers went all the way down Elsa's spine.

"How would they feel when I march up to their thresholds and blow down their doors? Terrified? Hateful? How would they feel once they realized that you, the 'Queen of Arendelle', their great leader, a sorceress with the forces of winter at her beck and call, the only human with the tools to defeat great beings such as I, failed her duties in protecting her own home?"

The Snow Queen clenched her jaw tightly, grinding her teeth against each other as she focused on drowning out the Bergrisi's taunts. Just keep it together, Elsa. Ignore him…

"Of course, that's assuming that your people will even give enough thought besides their own survival to find out, when I prowl in the mist to select them off. One. By. One." He grinned maliciously. "Oh, how their beating hearts will betray them as they hide, even as those little valiant organs strain to keep them alive. How the blood will drain from their faces until they resemble corpses, how their bodies will twist into fascinating shapes given enough pressure in the right spots... plucking their limbs ought to be worth a laugh as well. Oh, the symphony of their screams when I'll do just that!"

"Stop!"

"And finally, when all is said and done and I've had my fun, I will have the Earth swallow all of your broken companions whole, their cold, horrified faces being their last contribution to the world." The giant paused, and looked up to the grey skies in thought. "Well, at least their dead bodies will be of some use afterwards... perhaps I'll collect them as trophies."

"No!" Elsa snarled. "You will not touch them!" All semblance of control was now lost in the swirling storm raging against her insides, and her voice became a ringing trumpet that could have been heard all the way from the kingdom. Without hesitation, without rationale, Elsa snapped both her hands outwards, firing twin brilliant blasts of winter that almost seemed to hang midair in slow motion in her rage-filled vision. She watched as both became direct hits, one striking the Bergrisi in the chest, the other disappearing into his left eye. Both wounds burgeoned hauntingly beautiful ice petals that spread like wildfire, swirling and geometric patterns creeping all over his body to leave behind a silvery sheen on once-granite skin. The monster tried fighting back, but his movements became sluggish and spastic. He shuddered to a stop, and remained frozen in place.

...Silence.

The Snow Queen stared at the pristine giant statue in front of her. It was perfect and pristine: No one would have realized that it was once a walking, breathing being. The expression on his face could have been described as puzzled, his one unveiled eye still widened with bewilderment.

The awareness finally registered in Elsa's head, and she collapsed down to her knees, hugging herself as she shivered, nausea threatening to overtake her stomach. "Oh no…" she whispered, bile burning the back of her throat. "What have I done?"

You did what you had to do, Elsa.

I killed him.

You had every right to defend yourself in what was a life-threatening situation.

I still killed him.

He was going to destroy your home, your friends, your family. If you didn't stop him, all these three weeks would have been for naught-

krick-crack

crackle

Elsa jerked her head at the rimed statue.

kri-krick-crickle crackle snap

Incredibly, the frosted sculpture was developing minute markings all over, growing wider and more pronounced by the second. Pieces of ice broke apart, revealing the grey granite skin within. At the shoulders, entire sections of frost have been crushed to fine powder, permitting a clear view of twitching sinews and stretched hide. The statue growled, and the ancient monster trapped inside began to thrash angrily against the curse cast upon him...

The Snow Queen gasped. She flourished both her hands upwards to conjure a barrier just before a full-on war cry rattled the entire forest, and the frozen giant blew apart with an earsplitting detonation - She crouched behind her makeshift shield as razor shrapnel zoomed with high-pitched whistles, either flying off to who knows where, or lodging themselves deep into trees and ice constructs alike. Miraculously, the shield managed to stay intact, even as sinister-looking splinters were stopped only millimeters away from Elsa's nose.

"Ah… So that's what you have been hiding…" the Bergrisi groaned. "Simple, but effective."

Elsa peeked from the side of her shield, and gasped in horror upon realizing the monster didn't appear even remotely weakened: He towered high and proud, the clustered bloom of crystals still attached to his eye like something septic. It didn't remain there for long, though; the Bergrisi raised a massive hand up to its level, and snapped the whole thing off with impunity - a sort of pale, translucent mist spewed enthusiastically where the formation broke, until hissing to a stop seconds afterwards.

The Bergrisi faced down at Elsa with a truly grotesque stare; one eye remained in its original state, still shaded and mostly inscrutable. The other-

Elsa's stomach lurched.

-The other eye, however, had an entire section of skin and possibly muscle tissue forcefully torn away, revealing a blazing, pristine amethyst sphere that rolled in a socket made of the same material, wrapped in ribbons of fibrous sinew. Some sort of opaque film slid repeatedly up and down the orb, allowing it to blink despite the apparent lack of... eyelids.

"Unfortunately for you..." The Bergrisi began, steam blowing out of his mouth and nostrils as he flexed his shoulders. "My marvelous hide was made for an older Earth, when great legendary beasts roamed, and everlasting frost was the norm! Compared to that, this is but a mere cold spell!"

Elsa could just barely think of an alternate plan of attack when the ice barrier in front her completely shattered, its thick pieces ramming her in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. She doubled over on in pain, choking as the ground beneath her hands and feet shuddered with increasing magnitude.

Move Elsa… Come on, you need to move!

"Unfortunately, I think it is time to end this little game of ours." the monster sighed. Thick, grimy fingers wrapped themselves around Elsa's body, lifting her several meters into the air with all the ease of holding a child's toy. Even as she struggled to wriggle herself free, the platinum-blonde was rendered powerless, forcing to see her own terrified face reflected in the Bergrisi's burning, amethyst eyeball. The expression he wore was inhuman, a complete chilling lack of compassion.

"Say hello to that irritating child for me..." The hand keeping Elsa aloft squeezed tighter, crushing her chest, stopping it from rising in taking in air. She choked and gagged, a series of pathetically weak sounds that fell on the ears of an amoral being, one that regarded her as with as much respect as one would regard a roadside plant. It wasn't long before Elsa's eyes started to roll back, and her vision began to develop blank spots that blinked in and out, appearing with increasing frequency and space until her whole world pounded a dull, muted red. Her body burned hot as she succumbed to oxygen deprivation, the inner walls of her skull hammered with the heavy, slowing beat of her own heart...

Sharp twigs raked at Elsa's back as she hit the forest floor, kicking her lungs back into shape as she lied struggling to breathe. Her chest felt like it was on fire, but she forced herself to suck air in-between strangled fits, paining her until her respiration finally returned to a normal state; this came with the unusual effect of a tingling, buzzing sensation occupying her entire head. Her vision, which was nearly lost to unconsciousness, was now enough for her to register something huge that occupied her sight, likely the Bergrisi's bulk. Either way, try as she might, her body simply refused to respond to any commands: At most, she could restrain some muscle spasms that were of no use to anyone. It was almost a relief, really, to not feel anything, to not worry about what happens next anymore...

The buzzing in her head felt so nice... It was almost like going to sleep...

"ELSAAAA!"

...Huh?

The Queen lifted a bleary eyelid open with a weak cough, tapping into what little energy that was restored from breathing to turn her head towards the outburst. She watched as a wall of long outlines screeched and groaned in protest, splitting apart as they gave way to a massive figure, its body wide-set and heavy. She watched the newcomer roar in fury, and then ram the Bergrisi out of view with a mighty grunt, dissipating the silhouette that had shadowed her to prepare for her execution. Following the two tumbling to the ground with eyes that gradually gained clarity and color, an understanding pierced through Elsa's numb and addled mind: Yet another giant has entered the fray.

In spite of dwarfing the Bergrisi by a head or three, the new arrival compensated with sheer ferocity, launching a flurry of punches and swipes that contorted the amethyst-covered beast into gruesome poses. He snarled in response, catching the intruder's fist with a hand before crushing it into mangled splinters. However, the smaller creature gave the injury as much thought as if it was merely sneezed at, and slashed at the giant with his remaining hand - Both the Bergrisi and his newly-earned gashes hissed angrily in response, upon which the newcomer kicked him away, positioned itself before the lying Snow Queen and the giant, and roared thunderously in defiance, extending icicle spines from its back and remaining arm.

"Marsh-... Marshmallow?"

The Snow Golem and the Mountain Giant breathed heavily as they glowered at each other, unmoving, unyielding.

"Hmph." The Bergrisi snorted, dusting himself clean of icicle chips; the wound Marshmallow left behind had ceased hissing, leaving a series of wicked gouges in its stead. "You didn't tell me you were capable of creating familiars, Elsa, and not entirely useless ones at that..." He looked up at the dull grey skies far beyond the forest canopy, and then all around at his surroundings. "This had and will cost me too much time. No more distractions." He sighed.
"It looks like you have earned yourself another day to live, another day to breathe."

Elsa struggled to get up, focusing hard just to keep her arms from buckling. "St-... stop…" she protested: Mustering every last drop of energy she had in her reserves, she extended a wavering hand out in front of her, and released one more lance of ice before dropping back to the ground. She couldn't even tell if she merely shot at Marshmallow's back, or if it even hit anything for that matter. Marshmallow certainly didn't seem to move from his position, instead choosing to make sure Elsa was tucked out of the Bergrisi's vision.

A steady beat of staccato thumps shook the ground, a continuous pounding salvo on Elsa's barricade that no one tried to stop. As the Queen was forced to listen helplessly with closed eyes, the structure screeched in pain with every punch, splintered crackles, high-pitched whistling and snapping of tree bark penetrating the cold air until…

The end result was unlike anything else: An absolute cacophony followed suit, the sound of an entire grand cathedral, stories tall and painstakingly made of shining glass, that crashed down to the ground, its spires and foundations crumpling inwards as protracted and continuous as possible, a terrible clamor that only stopped when everything was reduced to shattered fragments and rubble.

"It's a good night for a bonfire, Elsa. Why don't you use your pet over there to position yourself up?" rumbled a voice over the last fracturing remnants, growing more faint and distant. "You shouldn't miss your town going up in flames..."

"No!" Elsa choked, but the Bergrisi didn't respond; he was already gone.

Elsa and Marshmallow were completely alone.

The platinum-blonde rested her forehead against the dirt. "I-... I failed." she whispered. She didn't even have the energy to break into a sob.

The ground gently shook a few times, and then something hard and cool to the touch tucked itself underneath Elsa's chin. It lifted her head up with the utmost care like it was handling a baby bird, until her blue eyes met the golem she had created those three weeks ago, the one made out of her fear of the outside world, the one who only a short time ago she blamed for rampaging in Arendelle. His eyes were merely empty pockets, and his mouth was too wide for typical human expressions. Even so, it looked almost… sad. Worried.

Something twinkled at the top of his head, a little piece of golden light that stood out against the grey and scattered blue, prompting the platinum-blonde to look up: Incredibly, Marshmallow was wearing a sort of expensive-looking adornment on his cranium, one that was comically two sizes too small to fit without pushing it deep into the snow. As Elsa blinked her eyes rapidly in amazement, the adornment was revealed to be a beautiful tiara, crafted in the national crocus insignia of Arendelle.

Elsa never imagined that she would see it again, the symbol of authority she blithely threw aside after fleeing from her home, from everyone. At the time, she believed she had achieved the freedom and happiness she sought for so long... she couldn't have been more wrong.

...And yet there the tiara was, sitting contently on the head of a behemoth Snow Giant.

"...Elsa…" he groaned, shifting his sole hand so Elsa could rest better against it.

He genuinely cared that she was alive and safe.

The platinum-blonde placed a pale hand on his finger, and leaned tiredly against it; her first real respite since daylight. "Marshmallow..." she whispered; yhe name came out rough and unfamiliar, but it gave her all the more reason to address it. "Marshmallow, thank you. I never could have imagined that you would do so much for me. Getting yourself hurt, saving my life..."

The Snow Giant's eye sockets stretched wide in bewilderment, and he craned his massive head as he investigated left and right. He was rather slow on the uptake, but it eventually occurred to him that Elsa couldn't have been referring to anyone else. "Marshmallow…" he mumbled, almost enraptured by the word passing through his mouth.

Something dark and heavy rested against the bottom of the Queen's heart, and she swallowed as tears came dangerously close to falling out. "...I'm sorry for putting the blame on you, when you had no part in this at all... I-I'm sorry for thinking you were a monster, that you were a-... a mistake. Can you forgive me?"

The creature didn't say anything. He probably didn't even know what she was talking about.

Elsa gasped as her cheek accidentally slipped off from the ice, and she collapsed back on the surface with a thud. The behemoth frantically looked around in alarm, but not before telling her "Stay! Rest!"

"I can't…" Elsa responded feebly. "That Bergrisi, he's going to attack everyone and destroy the kingdom! I must protect them!"

Marshmallow tilted his head, clearly confused by the Snow Queen's haste. "You're safe here."

"I can't stay…" Elsa panted, making yet another attempt to get back on her feet. "I'm not going to fail them. Not again, not ever. Please Marshmallow, help me up!"

Much to her chagrin, the Snow Giant instead descended to gingerly rest a massive hand on her body, pinning her to the floor. "You must rest-"

"Elsa!" echoed a call in the distance, accompanied by the sound of hooves. "Elsa!"

Could it be?... The Queen of Arendelle jerked her head towards the sound, that familiar voice and those trotting footsteps. A faint flicker of hope reinvigorated her spirit just enough to ignore the burning sensation in her throat, and shout back to the forest beyond: "Kristoff! Sven! I'm over here!"

"Elsa!" The galloping footsteps doubled in pace: Out of the grey mist burst a rider and his reindeer, his red sash blazing in stark contrast to the world. The mountain man Kristoff held tightly onto Sven's antlers as they charged forward at top speed, bounding over fallen branches and stirring dried leaves in their wake.

Marshmallow gasped, and stomped the ground with a deafening roar. Positioning himself in front of the Snow Queen, the snow monster spread himself outwards in a wide stance, swarms of jagged icicle spines poking their way out of his back and limbs like the quills of a porcupine. Wickedly jagged crystal teeth protruded from his jaw, and his block-like fingers elongated into knives that could gut fish with a flick of the wrist. Overall, Marshmallow's increasingly monstrous appearance was enough to give the ice harvester pause.

"Whoa there!" Kristoff shouted, pulling on his friend's reigns to a stop. He slowly dismounted from Sven's back, and held both his empty hands up to the snarling Snow Giant, carefully stepping forward with all the enthusiasm of approaching an easily triggered bear. "I'm not going to hurt anyone, big guy-"

"My name is Marshmallow!" The giant roared, brandishing his claws in plain view of the two.

The blond man blinked. "Wow. So, uh… so that's your name after all." Kristoff shook his head. "Look Marshmallow, it's nice to see you again after so long. I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm just here to pick up Elsa." Coughing once, he added, "I'm not going to hurt you, so if you just let me walk by, we can both get out of each other's hairs-"

"Go away!" Marshmallow bellowed, swiping a hand at him. "You attacked! You attacked first!"

"You still haven't gotten over it!?" Kristoff exclaimed incredulously, ducking to avoid having his head taken off by those wickedly gleaming claws. Dropping into a roll, the ice harvester sidestepped just as the golem jumped to crush him underneath his massive feet. Now that he slipped past the giant, he dug his heels against the dirt, and used the jump start to make a mad dash for the weakened Snow Queen. "Come on, let me help you up!" he shouted, slinging her arm over his broad shoulders. "We gotta get you back to the kingdom, hurry!"

"...I tried to hold him back. I wasn't able to do my job. I couldn't protect anyone..." Elsa mumbled. She leaned against the large man on wobbly knees, poking her own body lightly to make sure her ribs were still intact.

"You did more than we could have imagined, Elsa. " Kristoff assured. "The Captain told us what we needed, and you're still alive! Don't give up just yet!" He whistled - Sven charged towards the two, steam puffing out of his large nostrils as he tilted his head to the side and downwards, permitting his antlers to reach out to Kristoff's hand.

The reindeer was only seconds away, however, when a thunderous shout shook the entire forest - Marshmallow grunted, and hammered his massive fist just centimeters away from Kristoff's nose. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" he screamed, smothering the mountain man in his frosty breath. He raised his other fist up high, winding for one last punch to end the nuisance permanently.

Just as the golem brought his fist down, too quickly for Sven to intervene, too fast for Kristoff think about where to dodge, Elsa broke herself free of the ice harvester's hold; the exertion was almost too much, but she managed to stand in front of her friend and shield him with her body and spread arms. She closed her eyes in preparation of the blow, but the heavy fist of ice and compacted snow immediately arrested mid-descent.

"Will all of you just stop!?" Elsa shouted, huffing and puffing in exhaustion.

"Step aside." Marshmallow uttered. "I don't want you to be hurt…"

"Then you have to listen to me, Marshmallow! Leave Kristoff and Sven alone!"

"But-"

The Snow Queen cut the giant snowman's objections short with a glare.

"...But-"

The Snow Queen took a single, deliberate step forward, flashing another cold stare that cowed Marshmallow into total submission. With an air of authority surrounding her as palpable as a torrential wind, she jabbed her index finger down like one would do with a particularly disobedient child, her face leveling off to a neutral expression.

Marshmallow froze, and hesitantly knelt in response. Despite his size and fearsome appearance, he flinched away as Elsa leaned very, very close...

...And then wrapped her arms around his body in a hug. She couldn't even reach halfway around the golem's thick waist, but she rested herself against the snow and squeezed as hard as she could. Everyone else; Kristoff, Sven, and Marshmallow himself, simply gawked.

"...Elsa?" asked the Snow Giant.

"I know why you are like this, Marshmallow." said the platinum-blonde. "You seem so rough and harsh... but that's only because you wanted to protect everyone. To keep me from hurting those I love, and to prevent others from ever reaching me." Elsa squeezed a little harder. "I just made it easier to perform the physical side of a such a task."

The snowman didn't say anything.

"When I made you… I was still just a scared little girl, one who thought she shouldn't deserve contact with anyone besides herself. You did what you ordered, and that… that was just fine for the both of us." She raised her head up to him. "Well, it's different now. I'm not that frightened girl anymore. Instead of running away from my issues, I'm going to face them head-on for my people's sake."

"But-"

"Marshmallow, I know that such a thing would be difficult and terrifying for me. These past three weeks have been proof enough, with so much stress and fear and needed-adapting... but there's no need to worry anymore. I have friends now." Elsa motioned a hand towards Kristoff and Sven, who both waved sheepishly up at the giant golem.

"...Friends?"

"You don't-... I guess I didn't really know much about friends myself when I made you, didn't I?" Elsa chuckled. "Well, they're just like you: People who are willing to help and support each other, without asking for anything in return. They laugh together, cry in each other's arms, brighten a person's day just by staying close. Because of that, I want to keep them safe, and they would happily do the same if only I gave them the chance." Elsa's memories flashed to her sister's cheery smile, her always-jubilant companions, her servants, the guards, even the townsfolk who she had traded kind words, shared hopes, smiles, and encouragements with. "There are so many people out there now…" she said quietly. "It isn't a world with just you and me anymore."

The flood of emotions that ran through her started to spark and manifest, taking form as wisps of illuminated wind that laced along her hands, flitting in and out of Marshmallow's body before gathering into a floating, shining ball where his missing arm should be. With all the radiance of an intense firework, the ball burst into a wild flurry of light and snow, sweeping the grey mist away with its pulse, and forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

Elsa stepped back from the snow behemoth to view at her handiwork; in the light's place was a fully-restored hand; fresh, functional, and powerful.

The snowman remained silent for a while, opening and closing his new hand experimentally. Suddenly, he extended both of them outwards, alarming the ice harvester and his reindeer to no end; the two backed away, more than half-expecting the Snow Golem to just ignore Elsa and continue his aggression.

Instead, Marshmallow gently wrapped his arms around Elsa's body in his own, full body embrace. "Thank you, Elsa. I'm sorry for being angry..."

"Marshmallow, You don't have to be sorry about anything. You just wanted to do your job, right?"

The golem nodded back.

"Well, then…" Elsa smiled warmly. "Why don't you start by becoming our friend?"

The snowman's eye sockets blinked in amazement. "Um…" He edged away from everyone else by his toes, twiddling his blocky fingers. Even without a capability for typical human expression, it didn't take a genius to realize Marshmallow was being, in fact, painfully shy. This spanned for several long, uncomfortable seconds; Neither Elsa nor Kristoff were unfamiliar with this scenario, but they couldn't think of what to do.

"...Let him be." Kristoff finally said, breaking the awkward silence. "Time is ticking, and we must return to Arendelle." The ice harvester flicked a glance at the Marshmallow, who didn't seem to make any sort of objections. An encouraging sign. "Come on, Elsa, Sven-... Sven?"

The reindeer brushed off his friend's words with a snort, instead carefully approaching the giant monster with his muzzle aimed slightly downwards. Marshmallow recoiled away from the animal, but Sven continued to creep closer, investigating the deep tracks the behemoth left behind with interest.

Perhaps it was a bout of curiosity that made Marshmallow willing to come closer to the reindeer, or maybe Sven simply had a knack for developing bonds and socializing - he was certainly better at it than the two humans present could ever hope to be. Either way, the big fuzzy guy was able to charm Marshmallow into finally petting him; the giant chuckled, tickled by the Sven's snuffling muzzle as the animal attempted to lick his hand.

Elsa beamed at the two, happy that Marshmallow was finally off to a good start. Even Kristoff, who still regarded the Snow Golem with a hint of apprehension, couldn't help but grin at the sight. Hesitantly walking up to the two, he patted the snowman on the arm. "So we're… we're good now?"

Marshmallow eagerly nodded.

Kristoff let out a long sigh of relief, and grinned even wider at the gang's newest companion. "By the way," he noted, pointing up at the golden piece sitting atop the behemoth's cranium, "that's a really nice crown. Elsa couldn't have given it to you, could she?"

"That's a tiara, Kristoff." The Queen corrected. "It's... a long story. Personally, I think he wears it better than I ever could."

The ice harvester appeared rather dubious, something that didn't go by unnoticed by Elsa... but he chose not to say anything regarding the subject. Instead, he mounted Sven by the reigns, and held his hand out for her. She took it.

"Okay people, we must hurry before Arendelle turns into a warzone." Flicking his brown eyes at the new arrival, Kristoff asked, "You coming along, big guy?"

"...I follow."

"That's wonderful." Elsa complimented, making herself comfortable at the back of Sven. "I can hardly think of anyone else who could protect us better!"

When I wrote this fanfiction, I noticed there was a severe dearth of high-octane action in Frozen stories.

I intended to address that little issue somewhat.

Questions? Thoughts? Theories? You can either share them with me, or post them as a review below. I'll most certainly address them in a way that won't spoil.

See you guys soon, fans of Frozen. Happy Frozen Fandom Month and Snow Sisters Week.

...Yeah I know Anna's not around. She'll get her turn.