Chapter 3

Elsa was paralyzed. Seeing this huge monster engulfing the town in his blue flames was by far the most shocking scene she had ever witnessed. The dragon was about twenty feet long and could destroy any brick wall with a single slash of his mighty claws. He had four legs, a long tail rimmed with white spikes, and two immense wings creating small tornados as they flapped through the air. His devastating firebreath could strike with a phenomenal strength at fifteen feet. His rampage was unstoppable.

- I can't believe what I'm seeing, said Anna with a trembling voice. This has to be another magic trick, right ?

- We can't stay here ! cried Kristoff, taking the two sisters by their shoulders.

But Elsa couldn't move an inch.

- My people..., she whispered, eyes wide open.

- Did you hear me ? said Kristoff, seeing that she would not accompany him and Anna. We have to leave this place right now, or else this creature will grill us like sausages.

Just when Elsa thought everyone in the town had been caught in the fire, the gates to the inner yard of the castle opened, and an enormous stream of terrified citizens rushed in, flanked by a dozen of soldiers and lead by the chief of the army of Arendelle, Sir Piotr Edenzas. He was a very tall man with a grey beard and a ferocious look. Every gesture he made was sharp and precise, a testimony of his fourty-five years of service. Elsa clenched her fists. They were still shaky, but she definitely knew what she had to do. Now that she knew her people was safe, she had no more reason to hold on.

- You two, go ! she said to the young couple. Find some place to hide and take cover.

- What are you doing, Elsa ? Please, come with us ! begged Anna.

But the queen was already creating an ice slide in order to join her soldiers. She removed her shoes and got on the handrail of the balcony. The heat of the blaze started to reach the castle, and Elsa's dress was floating in the hot wind, as well as her long blond plait. She took her tiara off and turned over to Anna, saying :

- I give this to you. Take good care of it. I will take it back when I get rid of that monstrosity, alright ?

Anna's face was filled with anxiety. But she was not crying. She understood Elsa's choice very well, an she trusted her, more than anybody. Slowly, she extended her hand, took her sister's tiara and nodded silently. Elsa smiled at her. Knowing that her sister would be safe gave her some strength. Then, she looked at Kristoff, and with a brief movement of the head, made him understand what he had to do.

- Please, don't act foolishly, my queen, he said.

And the young couple, hesitant but trustful, left the balcony.

Elsa took a deep breath and turned over again. She clenched her fists as the heat stream stroke her with unexpected strength. Away, behind the enormous clouds of smoke and ashes, she could distinguish the menacing silhouette of the most sudden and frightening threat the kingdom had ever had to face.

She jumped on the slide and reached the inner yard in a blast. Here, she rushed toward Sir Piotr Edenzas and shouted :

- Tell me everything ! Where does that monster come from ?

The chief of the army didn't realize at first who was talking to him and looked in every direction, disoriented ; when he saw the queen rushing at him, he seemed terrified.

- Why are you here ? he cried, looking as mad as a man could possibly be. Get to the safest place as fast as you can !

- We don't have time to argue, Sir Edenzas, said Elsa when she arrived by his side. Answer me : what is happening ? Have you been able to save everyone ? Where does this dragon come from ?

Piotr seemed to fight with himself for a couple seconds, divided between the order her queen just gave him and his duty as a soldier. But he didn't have much more time to think, because a huge fireball fell on the gates and exploded in a thousand blue sparkles, setting most of the trees on fire and projecting all the nearby soldiers to the ground. Elsa rapidly pointed her hands at the blaze and extinguished it with a powerful ice beam.

- Quick ! insisted the queen, turning her head again over Piotr. You know I can handle this !

- We have no idea where that monster come from, he moaned, helping a soldier to come back on his feet. But we saved most of the citizens.

- Most of them ? You mean...

- Some of them jumped in the water, thinking that they would be safe. We went to rescue them, but we were stopped by a column of fire. However, the dragon doesn't seem to have attacked them for the moment. There might still be a chance...

- There is ! replied Elsa, firmly.

And she rushed out of the castle, her hands radiating with a cold, bluish light.

The pathway was all messed up. Everywhere, she could see wood pieces, broken bricks, melted stones, burning carts, collapsed houses, sinking ships, and even afraid horses who tried to escape the furnace as hard as they could. But she couldn't see the infortunate citizens, and assumed that they were trapped on the other side of the town. She had to be as fast as she could, so she froze the ground before her and created ice skates, sliding at full speed toward the wall of ashes. She had lost sight of the monster, though, and this was not particularly reassuring. But the soldiers had made an incredible job, saving so much people, and allowing them to take shelter so promptly. There was a tunnel under the castle, where they could all fit and wait for the scourge to fly away.

She coughed as she broke into the cloud of ashes. She had to maintain her icy road with one hand, while dissipating the toxic gas and particles with a fierce icy wind coming out of her other hand. She couldn't see at more than five feet before her, but she never dropped her speed : she had to save her people, no matter what.

Suddenly, a strong wind blow hit her on her left flank. She screamed out of surprise and ended up in the sea. She couldn't see it because of the ashes, but she had been very close to the docks this entire time ! She struggled a little to come back to the surface, gasped, and swam to the border. The ashes had been totally wiped out by this strong wind blow, but a shadow engulfed her whe she finally stood up on the ground.

The dragon was right in front of her.