The Storm Rages On

Chapter Nine

Cavern

"I don't understand." Elsa shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean, it's not here?"

Arberish took her hand, his own eyes wrought with worry, disbelief. "I . . . I don't understand either, Elsa. But we've looked everywhere and . . . and there's no sign of the cave."

Elsa turned to Kristoff. "You haven't found anything, either?"

Kristoff shook his head. "None of us have." He gestured to the other side of the lake. "Alúvelin and Valanda have been over every inch of rock over there, just like we've thoroughly searched this side. There's nothing. Not a crack, not a crevice." He shook his head. "I've never seen such smooth rock before in my life. There's absolutely nothing here."

Elsa sank to the ground, the enormity of their failure washing over her. "Then . . . Then it's over." She looked at Arberish. "The invaders . . . They must know something we don't. There must be some secret we haven't figured out yet. Or . . ." A chilling thought ran through her mind. "Or we're in the wrong place."

"Impossible!" Arberish countered. "It has to be here! All the legends, all the myths, the poem . . . Everything points to here! There is nowhere else in these mountains that meets these criteria!"

Anna sat quietly, her hands resting on her abdomen. "So . . . What do we do? Do we wait for the invaders, see if they discover the secret, and then follow them?"

Arberish turned to Anna, his face grave. "The last rumors I heard were that the invaders had grown to a force of five hundred men. Men from every nation within two hundred miles of the Continent. These men are the best their lands have to offer: the greatest warriors, the shrewdest minds. And they are all motivated by a single, unifying desire: their lust for power, riches, the ability to dominate all that may oppose them. Do you really think our small band stands a chance at overpowering them? It is hopeless!"

Footsteps approached the group. Alúvelin and Valanda sat next to Elsa, their eyes weary, their hearts heavy. "We've looked everywhere," Alúvelin said. "I can't believe it. There's nothing to see. It's as if . . . as if the rock itself has smoothed out the entrance. Like it never existed."

Arberish knelt by Elsa, laying his hand on her shoulder. "We did our best, Elsa," he said softly. "There is no dishonor in that. But now, we need to return to Arendelle. My people await us there. They need us to guide them. Arendelle needs you. If we leave now, we may still have time to prepare for the invaders' inevitable attack. We may yet be able to repulse them, if the might of Arendelle's military is with us."

Elsa looked at him. "How? How can any of us stop a force with the power of the Tritastónende behind them? Don't you see? They must know how to find the entrance, or they wouldn't be so certain in their victory. Once they have the Jewels, all will be powerless to stop them!" She closed her eyes, her brow lined with sorrow. "They will destroy this Continent, Arberish. Our people . . . if they allow them to live, they will be made their slaves. Our lands, our histories . . . everything will be lost!"

Anna took Elsa's free hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll find a way," she said. "You have to believe that, Elsa." A grimace went across her face as another bout of movement ran through her womb. "Sometimes, when things are the darkest, when it looks like there is no hope at all . . . that's when what's hidden can be revealed. You just have to look for it!"

Anna smiled. "After all, I have no intention of raising these children outside of Arendelle. So we have to find a way! It will come to us! I know it!"

Elsa's eyes suddenly flew open, her mind racing. "Say that again," she whispered to Anna.

"What? 'We have to find a way'? Of course we do, Elsa! I—"

"No." Elsa stared at her sister intently. "Before that."

"Um . . ." Anna thought furiously, trying to remember what she had said. "I think I said something like: 'What's hidden can be revealed if you just look for it.' But I don't—"

Elsa pulled Anna close to her, embracing her tightly, kissing her on the cheek. "Anna, you're a genius!"

"What?" Anna's face was coated in confusion. "What did I say?"

Elsa turned to Alúvelin, taking her hand. "Come with me. I know what we have to do!"

Before the Empress could respond, Elsa was pulling her, her feet practically flying across the ground.

"Elsa, I don't know what you're thinking, but—"

"Shhh!" Elsa silenced Alúvelin, a finger at her lips. "Anna said that what's hidden can be revealed if you just look for it. Well, I think . . . it has to be, I'm sure of it . . ."

"What?" Alúvelin stared at her sister, trying to comprehend. "You're not making any sense. What are you thinking?"

"Don't you see?" Elsa said, her eyes wide, her breathing rushed. She gestured to the rock walls that lined the Vindervallen. "This rock is far too smooth to be natural. I'll guarantee you that someone used magic to create it. The entrance has to be hidden somewhere behind this rock!"

Alúvelin stared at the rock, realizing that the smoothness was something she had never seen before in nature. "All right," she said. "If you're right, how . . . how do we find the entrance?"

Elsa held Alúvelin's hands tightly. "Isarn . . . In the brief time we had together, he taught me how to see in my mind what's around me. To use the coldness to sense what's truly there, even when the eye cannot perceive it. I need you to help me."

"I . . . I don't know how!" Alúvelin protested. "I don't know what to do!"

"Just close your eyes," Elsa said. "You have both fire and ice flowing through your spirit. Let the coldness flow over you. Follow it. Let it guide you. It . . . It's hard to describe, but it should feel like something . . . someone is caressing you, pushing you gently in the right direction. Trust it and let it lead you where you want to go."

Alúvelin looked at Elsa. "I . . . I don't think—"

"Don't think," Elsa said. "Just feel. Please, Alúvelin. There's not enough time for me to go over every inch of this wall by myself. I need you to take half." She brought her hand to her sister's cheek. "I would not ask this of you unless I knew you would be successful. Please. Help me."

Alúvelin nodded. "All right, Elsa. I . . . I will try."

"Thank you," Elsa said. "Now, you take this side. I'll be over here. Just let it lead you. Let it take you to where you feel the emptiness of an entryway."

Alúvelin turned away, her hands shaking. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, she thought. I can't do this! What am I thinking?!

No! she argued with herself. Elsa is counting on you! You promised her that you wouldn't lay the burden on her all the time. Now, it's time for you to honor that promise. You can do this! You can!

"I can do this," she whispered to herself. "I can! I can!"

Closing her eyes, she reached deep within herself, to the very center of her being where both flame and ice coalesced. Gently, uncertainly, she prodded the ice and snow. Please. I need you now. Help me to see what cannot be seen. Guide me. I need you. Please!

The coldness descended upon her, filling her body with its familiar touch. Now, we're looking for an entranceway. It has to be here . . . somewhere!

For a moment, Alúvelin felt nothing but the chill of the ice flowing through her, and she was certain that she had failed. Then, almost imperceptibly, like a tiny bell ringing in her ear, she felt . . . something nudging her. Left! it whispered. It is not far! Go to your left!

Her eyes still shut, Alúvelin allowed the cold to guide her. In her mind's eye, she could see the blue chill of her ice spread on the ground before her, leading her around the lake toward the rock ahead. Not watching where she was going, the Empress gave herself completely to the ice, trusting in it to guide her safely.

Finally, she stopped. Before her, she could sense something large, something empty. Opening her eyes, she saw nothing but unnaturally smooth rock. Her heart sank into her chest. What now? What do I do now?

Frustrated, she slammed her fist into the rock, her palm glowing blue with the ice still flowing through her. To her astonishment, her hand met no resistance. Instead, it passed through the rock completely, as if the stone itself had no physical presence. Crying out in surprise, she tried once more. Again, her hand effortlessly passed through the rock.

Feeling bolder, Alúvelin stretched forth her arm, pressing it into the wall. She smiled in astonishment as her arm disappeared into the rock. She could feel nothing but air on the other side. It is an illusion, she realized. There is no rock at all! She thrust her arm in once more, moving it back and forth. The opening was narrow, hardly three feet wide. No wonder we didn't find it earlier.

"Over here!" she cried. "Elsa! Mother! Everybody! Come quickly! I . . . I found it!"

She waited in anticipation, every second feeling like an eternity as the others rushed to join her. Elsa arrived first, her eyes wide. "You . . . You found it?!"

Alúvelin nodded. "Look!" She thrust her arm through the rock, pulling it out again, showing Elsa that she was unharmed. "It's not real, Elsa! It's not real!"

Elsa smiled, her eyes shining with joy, with pride at her sister's accomplishment. "You see?" she said. "I knew you could do it!"

Valanda arrived, followed closely by Arberish, Kristoff, and a panting, exhausted Anna.

"Is . . . Is this it?" Valanda asked. "But it looks like—"

"Watch." Alúvelin demonstrated once more what she had discovered, her arm disappearing and reappearing before them.

Arberish's eyes widened. "I never thought I would live to see this," he whispered. "I have heard of this ancient magic, but I have never seen it before." He turned to the entire party. "Whoever cast this spell was very, very powerful indeed. We must be cautious. We are entering dangerous territory now."

"The three challenges," Anna said. "How . . . How do we decide who faces them? How does it work?"

Arberish shook his head. "Oh, Your Highness. We do not have the privilege of choosing which challenges we will face. No. That is to be decided for us."

Anna suddenly let out a sharp cry, her hands clutching her belly, her face contorting.

"What is it?" Kristoff held her arm, his eyes wide with panic. "What's wrong?"

"Anna?" Elsa stepped forward, taking her sister's free hand. "Anna, talk to me! What's going on?"

The princess shook her head, her face calm once more. "It's nothing. Both of them just . . . They had a very strong reaction to something. They both kicked me at the same time. And . . . And it hurt!"

Alúvelin and Valanda looked at each other, trying desperately to conceal their worry.

"This settles it," Elsa said. "Kristoff, you and Anna are waiting here. The four of us will go into the cavern. There is no way Anna can come with us."

Elsa braced herself, prepared to argue with Anna over her insistence on joining them. However, Anna merely nodded. "I think . . . I think that's probably a good idea. I . . . I don't want to risk anything—"

A loud shriek interrupted their conversation. The six turned behind them, gasping in astonishment.

"What . . . What is that?!" Alúvelin cried.

Arberish and Valanda looked at each other. "The legends are true," Valanda whispered. "It is the Innsjø Verge. The Lake Guardian!"

A large creature emerged from the water. Its gaping maw was filled with row upon row of razor-sharp teeth. Its eyes were wild, black as night, hungry for flesh. It moved upon six enormous tentacles, each twenty feet long, each capped with stingers sharp enough to impale a man with nary a struggle. Slowly, deliberately, it approached them, eager to satisfy its long-brewing desire for meat.

"Run!" Arberish cried. "Into the cavern! NOW!"

The six thrust themselves through the illusory rock, not daring to stop for anything. Elsa barely made it into the cavern's entryway when she felt something sharp and fast fly by her ear, lodging itself into the wall.

The Lake Guardian was upon them. Although it was far too large to fit through the narrow entryway, it was not about to let its prey escape without a struggle. The creature withdrew the tentacle that had barely missed Elsa, forcing two of its other tentacles through the narrow gap. They flailed about, searching greedily for their targets.

"Look!" Valanda pointed to the cavern's ceiling, her eyes wide. "It's going to bring the cavern down upon us!"

Elsa looked and saw that, indeed, large cracks were beginning to form in the roof of the cave. Large pieces of rock, rock that had stood for millennia, began to break free, falling to the cavern floor about them.

"We have to get it out of here before it kills us all!" Arberish cried. "Valanda! Alúvelin! Help me! Let's see if it can tolerate the flame or not!"

The three brann wielders rushed forward, fire flowing freely from their fingertips, coursing over the creature's massive appendages.

A bellow of pain echoed through the cavern. The tentacles quickly withdrew. One of the Guardian's large eyes loomed before the entryway, looking about for the source of its misery, thirsting not only for food now, but also for vengeance.

Before it had an opportunity to discern the cavern's contents, the eye was hit with a furious blast of ice. The creature pulled back, roaring in misery as it realized it could not see out of its ice-encrusted pupil. Enraged beyond any semblance of reason, the creature unleashed four of its tentacles upon the rock wall, determined to pull the entire cavern down upon them, not caring about the consequences so long as those who had caused it pain were punished, slaughtered mercilessly.

Kristoff and Anna were at the back of the cavern, furiously trying to figure out how to unlock the door blocking their escape into the cave's depths. "It won't open!" Kristoff cried. "We're trapped!"

Arberish rushed to the door, studying it. "Valanda!" he cried. The young woman instantly appeared by his side. "Can you read this?" He gestured to the ancient runes surrounding the door, to the unlit torches arranged in a circle before the entrance. "Please tell me you can!"

The princess of the brann wielders studied the ancient engravings, her eyes widening in comprehension. "Yes!" she whispered. "Yes, I can!"

Elsa and Alúvelin stood before the cavern entrance, feverishly coating the entryway in thick layers of ice, desperately hoping it would be enough to hold off the Guardian for a few more precious moments. "Hurry!" Alúvelin cried. "We can't hold it back much longer!"

Valanda wasn't listening. Instead, she responded to the ancient words of her people, answering the request put forth by the runes. "Sing märren einenden Friēndereicht. Valanda, Evenseth, undersēlereicht."

Nothing happened. "What's wrong?" Anna cried. "I thought you could read it!"

"I answered!" Valanda cried out, confused. "I don't understand!"

"Try again," Arberish said. "Please! Try again!"

Valanda summoned all of her strength, willing herself to be heard over the Guardian's ferocious screams. "Sing märren einenden Friēndereicht! Valanda, Evenseth, undersēlereicht!"

Flame erupted from the center of Valanda's being, igniting the circle of torches. An unearthly glow erupted from the center of the door, coating the wall in its light. The ancient portal rose into the wall, finally opening once more after centuries of enclosure.

"You did it!" Anna cried, throwing her arms around the princess. "You actually did it!"

"I . . . I knew I could," Valanda said softly, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the praise being lavished upon her.

"Thank you!" Kristoff said, taking her hand. A furious roar echoed throughout the chamber. "Now, let's get out of here!"

Arberish turned behind him. "Elsa! Alúvelin! This way!"

The two sisters wasted no time. Turning, they rushed to the rear of the cavern just as the ice they had so furiously created exploded. The tentacles thrust themselves into the narrow gap once more, thrashing wildly as they searched for their quarry.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Arberish cried. Elsa and Alúvelin threw themselves into the next chamber, not stopping until they were well clear of the doorway, Arberish right on their heels.

The ancient rock could withstand the assault no longer. Finally succumbing to the pressure, the cavern ceiling collapsed, crushing the Guardian's tentacles, covering the entrance in a fifteen-foot tall pile of solid, unmovable rock. The creature roared in agony, thrashing about, its injuries slowly draining life from its ancient form. Its dying cries echoed throughout the cavern, traveling through the entryway into the chambers beyond, following the six as they ventured deeper toward whatever new challenges awaited them.

AN: Alúvelin's confidence in herself grows as she has now unlocked another new ability. Our six heroes now are trapped, forced to venture into the caverns, with no escape but to go forward. More to come!

Translation of Valanda's answer to the runes:

Sing märren einenden Friēndereicht. Valanda, Evenseth, undersēlereicht. — We enter meekly as friends of yours, Mighty Lords. I, Valanda, Daughter of Eve, your humble, unworthy servant.