"Who I used to be."

James repeated those words in his head as he carefully took his sword and slung it around his back. Elsa's eyes spoke empathy but what terrible things could she have done to know his pain?

The ride to the Valley of the Living Rock where the trolls resided was rather silent. James seemed to be at ease to be surrounded by the snowy forest. Unknown to Elsa, winter was his favorite season because of the cold and snow.

Upon arriving, they hitched their horses to a tree and found the elder troll waiting for them.

"Ah, good afternoon, Elsa, James. I am glad you could make it."

"I am glad you wish to teach us more about our power, every bit helps." Elsa said.

"Please, sit. This may take a while."

Elsa and James found a nearby log to rest on as the elder troll conjured magical images to help illustrate what he was saying.

"Both of you wield a magic more powerful than anything. You wield elemental magic. I say more powerful because you need not mutter words of incantation to use your power. Elemental magic needs only for you to think and feel. Elementals are also born in pairs and are always exact opposites: earth and lightning, fire and water, fire and ice. Not necessarily born as siblings or even fated to fall in love, they often live out their lives not knowing the other exists. However, in order for elementals to fully control their power, they must find each other first and experience the other's power."

"When you say we need to experience the other's power, is that like me freezing his heart?" Elsa questioned.

Yes, but direct exposure to the heart is extremely dangerous. If you freeze his heart completely, it will extinguish his flame and-"

"And he'll freeze." Elsa finished the elder's sentence and James thought he saw a phantom of his pain in her eyes.

"It is imperative you protect your heart, both of you, for that is where all of your power lies. If your head gives up, loses all hope, and is no longer strong enough because it is fighting grief or sadness or if you are slain, all of the energy in your heart will be released disastrously. It is the curse of all elemental beings."

The troll dissipated his images and turned toward the two elementals to see if they had any more questions.

James broke his silence. "You have taught me more than I ever knew before but I still don't know how to regain any sense of control over my power. The only thing that is keeping me together is the ice that is suppressing my heart."

"I understand, but I will need to see more to offer you help. But it may end up doing more harm than good."

James kneeled forward and extended an ungloved hand. "I need to know."

Nightmare? No, too real to be a nightmare.

A charred forest still smoking from the fire that recently raged through it.

James was kneeling over two piles of ash. He was frozen with shock over what happened.

He was a monster.

A demon.

The vision faded and James was back in the valley. His shaky breathing was the only thing that could be heard in the deafening silence.

"I...I need some time." He said before heading toward the forest.

Elsa was about to follow him when the elder stopped her.

"He won't go far and his heart is in no danger. I said that finding each other will allow both of you fully control your power. You, Elsa, are the only strength he has left and the only reason he has stayed. I do apologize for giving you this burden but it is the only way he will be able to confront that which is haunting him. It may help you too, I have seen you are still not completely at ease with what happened last summer."

While Elsa pondered the elder's final words, she waited a bit longer to make sure she had given James enough time alone she headed back to the horses and only found tracks in the snow. She followed the tracks and quickly found him in a clearing making snowballs with his bare hands.

"What are the snowballs for?" Elsa asked as she sat down beside him.

James finished the one he was working on and set it upon the pile he had made.

"Back home, I had a clearing like this to escape to whenever something happened. In the winter my mother suggested I make snowballs until they stop melting. Just anything to clear my mind and calm down."

He paused for a short while.

""What did he say about my power?"

"Well," Elsa sighed, "you will need to confront whatever is haunting you inside but you will not be alone." She put a hand on his shoulder. "I will help you any way I can."

"I guess I can't hide from it forever."

James glanced up at the darkening sky, he knew it was not that late but the winter season meant daylight went quickly.

"We should head back, I don't want Anna to think you are skipping out on her."

"Let's go, then."

Author's Note: It just needs to get a little darker before we can see the light. Hope you like it so far!