The Storm Rages On
Chapter Twenty
Eden-stone
The chamber was eerily silent. No one knew what to say, for they knew nothing they could offer would eliminate the oppressive feeling of failure that permeated the room.
Alúvelin looked to Elsa, unsure of how to relieve her sister's misery, trying to find some way to convince her that what had happened wasn't her fault. She moved next to her, taking her hand. Arberish gracefully moved aside, leaving the two women alone.
"You can't blame yourself, Elsa," Alúvelin said. "This isn't your fault."
"Yes, it is," Elsa whispered, not lifting her eyes. "If we hadn't left the mountains, none of this would have happened. Hans wouldn't have been able to claim the Jewels because he wouldn't have been worthy of them. Anna wouldn't be facing the end of her pregnancy in constant danger. We wouldn't be trapped here, helpless. Our people . . . yours and mine . . . they wouldn't be on the verge of extinction." She bit her lip, forcing herself to remain strong. "Every decision I make goes horribly, horribly wrong." She looked at Alúvelin, her eyes weary, her voice strained. "Why, Alúvelin? Why can't we just live in peace? Why does everyone I love have to suffer?"
The Empress tightened her grip on Elsa's hand. "If we hadn't left the mountains, we would all be dead right now. You heard Hans. He destroyed everything! It's because of you that my people are still alive."
"And now you have no homeland," Elsa replied. "You are exiles. Everything you held dear, everything sacred to you is now gone."
"Things can be replaced," Alúvelin said. "As much as my heart aches for our homeland's destruction, we can find a new land in which to dwell. But people . . . People are irreplaceable." She brought her hand to Elsa's cheek. "That is why we need to find a way out of here: to save Arendelle, to save what is left of the brann wielders."
"How?" Elsa asked. "How can we escape from here? Even if we combine our powers, it is impossible!"
Alúvelin turned to Arberish. "I saw you turn rock to magma during your trial. Is it possible you could do it again now?"
Arberish shook his head. "That was against a much smaller creature, when I was not already weakened from exhaustion. I . . . I cannot summon flame of that intensity at this time."
Anna, who had been listening to the conversation, groaned in pain. This wave, however, felt very different from what she had experienced before. "Valanda . . ." she whispered, her eyes closed as another burst of agony ran through her. "Something's . . . wrong!"
Valanda was by her side in an instant, Kristoff next to her, his eyes full of terror.
"Let me see," Valanda said, letting the heat from Anna's womb flow into her. She inhaled, shaking her head in astonishment. "I . . . I cannot believe this."
"What?!" Kristoff was close to panicking. "What's wrong now?!"
"Your adameren," Valanda replied. "They have become too large for Anna's womb to contain them much longer. She will begin the process of delivering them within a matter of hours."
Anna shook her head, her face pale. "That's . . . That's not possible! You said . . . You said it would still be several weeks . . .!" She cried out as a fresh torrent of pain cut through her abdomen.
"I have never seen anything like this before," Valanda said, her face creased with worry. "I do not know what lies ahead. All I know is that your body physically cannot contain them much longer."
Alúvelin turned back to Elsa. "You see? We have to find a way out of here! Anna's children will die if they are born in here, if they are trapped."
"Don't you think I know that?" Elsa said. "I don't know what to do! Nothing is coming to me! I feel so . . . helpless . . ."
She covered her face in her hands, unable to think, not knowing what she should do to save her family from their imprisonment.
Something bright caught Alúvelin's eye. "Elsa, your ring! It's . . . It's glowing!"
"It always does that," Elsa mumbled, not bothering to look down. "It doesn't mean anything."
The glow from the Eden-stone intensified, causing Elsa to look at it. Her mouth fell open, her breath cut short. "What . . . What is . . .?"
Something compelled Elsa to remove the Eden-stone from her finger. Staring at it, she slowly brought the shining blue gem to her forehead, uncertain of what force willed her to do so. She cried out as her mind exploded, a wave of intense power and authority washing over her.
"Elsa? Elsa, what's wrong?!" Arberish rushed to her, gripping her shoulders.
Elsa did not respond. Her eyes were closed, her lips moving silently, as if engaged in a conversation with someone only she could hear.
"Give me the ring!" Arberish commanded, his stomach knotted in worry. He moved to Elsa's hand, prepared to forcibly remove the gem from her grasp.
"Careful!" Alúvelin said, watching along with Anna, Kristoff, and Valanda as Arberish leaned in, prepared to take the stone.
Elsa's eyes snapped open, the ring falling from her hand. Arberish cried out in astonishment, nearly tripping over himself in shock.
"What . . . Where . . .?" Elsa looked about, confused. She looked at Arberish. "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" Arberish asked. "You were in some kind of trance. I . . . I was worried. I thought the ring was hurting you, so I . . ."
Clarity rang through Elsa's mind. "No. She . . . She didn't hurt me at all. In fact, she has something to say to us . . . all of us."
"'She'?" Arberish and Alúvelin glanced at each other, concerned. "I don't understand . . ."
A brilliant flash of light erupted from the Eden-stone, filling the chamber with cold, blue hues. The light coalesced, swirling about, forming the shape of a beautiful woman. Her skin was as blue as the sky, her hair, eyes, and dress the color of sapphire. An aura of blue light exuded from her, signifying her supernatural presence.
"My children," the woman said, smiling. "I am the Spirit of the Eden-stone, the life-force that has resided within it for centuries. I am Elenórathem."
Kristoff frowned. "'Elenórathem'? That name . . . It's . . . It's very familiar . . ."
"You are most likely thinking of my sister," the woman said. "Elenóreweth, Mistress of Water, one of the Tritastónende." She closed her eyes. "We were one once, a long time ago. A single consciousness, a single being. But the Men of Arendelle needed Elenóreweth's guidance, her power, to drive back the raging tides that threatened to consume their infant land. They could not be trusted with her full might, however, for she had learned long ago that Men are easily corrupted. Yet she could not allow innocent lives to perish if it was within her power to save them. So, painfully, agonizingly, my sister divided her consciousness into two separate beings, allowing the Men to take a small portion of her full form. My sister remained within the larger stone, while I . . . I was created in the likeness of my sister—similar, yet different—to safeguard the small fragment she gave to Men."
Elenórathem opened her eyes, looking at Elsa. "Over the years, the Men of Arendelle grew less and less worthy of my power, until, at last, they could no longer hear my voice, could no longer listen for my guidance. I came to be regarded simply as an heirloom of their royal family, passed down from father to son, from generation to generation." A look of sadness, of longing passed over her face. "How I desired to help them, to lead them in the path of righteousness, to allow them to use my strength to dispel the droughts, to water their fields, to take care of their earth. I begged them, over and over again, year after year, to listen to me, but they could not, or would not, hear my voice. Finally, I could bear no more and fell silent, despairing of ever being recognized for what I truly was again."
Her eyes brightened, a smile returning to her face. "And then, your adopted father passed me to you, Elsa. The moment I rested upon your finger, I knew you were different. You are the first woman to wear me in more than two hundred years. I sensed your power, your mastery over ice and snow. But I also sensed your fear, your trepidation, your living nightmare at having to contend with the horrors wreaking havoc inside your mind. That was when I knew what I must do. I could not allow you to succumb to their vicious assault. So, I lent you my strength. When you were in your moments of deepest despair, I was with your spirit, comforting you. When you were tormented beyond your power to withstand it, I helped you to find the strength to continue resisting. And when you finally had the confidence in yourself you needed, I helped you banish them forever."
Elsa's eyes widened. "I . . . I remember feeling something come over me when I drove them back. I felt . . . I felt calmer than I had ever felt before. Somehow, I knew I could do it . . ." She gazed upon the blue spirit before her. "That . . . That was you?!"
Elenórathem took Elsa's hand. "You did all the work, Elsa. All I did was provide you with the clarity of mind you needed. And once the voices were gone, I continued to be with you. I was there when you met your real father. I was there to help bring you back to life when he sacrificed himself for you. I was there when you were tortured in the mountains, when the voices returned." She glanced at Alúvelin. The Empress bowed her head in shame, regret for her previous actions flooding her mind. "I was there when you forgave your sister, Elsa. When you welcomed her into your life despite everything she had done. I have been with you always, waiting for the opportunity when you were ready to speak to me face to face. Now, that time has come."
"Why now?" Elsa asked. "Why not earlier? Why not weeks, months, years earlier?"
The blue woman smiled. "If I had come to you before today, in this form, claiming to be the spirit of the Eden-stone, would you have believed me?"
Elsa paused, realizing the obvious truth. "Of course not," she said softly. "I . . . I would have thought you were insane. Or that I was hallucinating."
Elenórathem nodded. "Precisely. Events happen in our lives for their own reasons, Elsa, all at their duly-appointed times. You were meant to set upon this quest, to find the Tritastónende, just as you were meant to speak with me today."
"What are you saying?" Arberish asked. "Are you saying that none of us have free will? That everything that will ever happen is already preordained? If that's the case, why even bother?"
"You misunderstand me," Elenórathem said, shaking her head. "Free will is the strongest force imaginable. It is what separates Man and his relatives from the rest of Creation. My Father, had He desired, could have simply created a race of obedient slaves who would obey His every whim unquestioningly. But would those creatures truly have been capable of loving Him in return if they had no free will? Of course not! To offer someone the power of choice, knowing they could very well reject everything you may give them, is the ultimate act of love. That is why my Father does not directly intervene in matters of this world. He provides opportunity, but it is up to each of us to choose to act upon it."
Anna wailed in pain, tears bursting from her eyes. Kristoff looked at Elenórathem, his eyes wild with fear. "This is all well and good," he said, "but we need to return to Arendelle. Now. Hans is on his way with five hundred men and the Jewels, prepared to destroy her. And Anna . . . She needs a healer. She is going to deliver my children within a matter of hours. Please. Can you help us escape from here?" Kristoff knelt before the spirit, bowing his head. "Please! I am begging you. Help us!"
The blue woman nodded. "I, too, share your fear, both for Arendelle and for the safety of Anna and her children. I have learned much about the behavior of Men over the centuries, both good and ill. I have become quite a good judge of character. You are all some of the finest I have encountered. I genuinely wish to help you." Her eyes darkened. "I also desire to help my sister and her brothers. What this Hans has done is unconscionable. I fear his lust for power will corrupt them into using their might without thinking about the consequences of their actions. It has been so long since they have been free, after all. I worry what they might do . . ."
She looked at Elsa. "I will help you to escape. I will help you to repel Hans. I will help you rescue my sister and brothers, rescue Arendelle. That is, if you will accept my assistance. My power over water can augment your control of ice and snow, making you more powerful than you ever dreamed you could be. Is this what you want? Will you allow me to aid you?"
Elsa looked at her hands, her face creasing with worry. "I . . . I don't know," she whispered. "No matter how much control I gain, no matter how much confidence I possess, I . . . I am still afraid of what I might do. If you make me even stronger, how do I know I won't abuse your power? How do I know I won't be tempted to become . . . like Hans?" She looked at the spirit. "What if I become everything I am fighting against?"
Elenórathem smiled. "Now, I know you are capable of wielding my power. The fact that you worry, the fact that you remain concerned about what you may do to others . . . If you had answered 'yes' without hesitation, I would have been reluctant to aid you. But your humility, your caution . . . Once again, Elsa, you have demonstrated your wisdom, your prudence, your worthiness. The fact that you are worried about this shows that you will consciously fight against these desires."
Elsa looked about the room. "What do you think, Kristoff? Valanda? Alúvelin? Anna? Arberish?" She closed her eyes. "Do you think I can control myself? Do you have faith in me?"
Anna forced herself to her feet, pulling herself toward Elsa. "You know . . . what my answer is," she said, panting heavily. "You know I believe in you. We all do, don't we?"
The rest of the group nodded in assent. Arberish took Elsa's hand.
"You don't have to be afraid, Elsa. I know you would never abuse your power. You need to accept this. It is the only way to save Arendelle . . . to save Anna . . ."
Arberish planted a kiss on Elsa's cheek, gently stroking her hair. "Now, go. Let Elenórathem help you. Be the woman I know you are."
Elsa nodded. "I love you, Arberish," she murmured. "No matter what happens, I want you to know that."
She moved to the blockaded tunnel, placing the Eden-stone upon her finger once more. "I'm ready," she said softly, looking at the spirit. "What do you need me to do?"
"Close your eyes," Elenórathem commanded. "Let the ice fill your entire being, like you always do."
Elsa did as she said. Her eyes shut, she willed the coldness to overwhelm her, embracing its gentle touch, letting it pour over her.
"Now," Elenórathem said. "Stretch out your hands. Let the ice flow from your fingertips. You will feel something . . . unusual as you do so. Do not be afraid. That is simply me, sharing my strength with you. Do not fight it. Accept it. Allow my strength to mingle with your own. Let us work together to save your people . . . to save your niece and nephew."
Secure in her motivation, Elsa held her hands out toward the wall. She exhaled, letting a stream of concentrated ice pour from her hands. As she allowed her power to leave her body, she stiffened. Something . . . foreign moved through her, pushing the ice at a greater intensity that she had ever attempted before. Startled, she faltered, ceasing to use her power.
"Do not stop!" Elenórathem cried. "You cannot stop! You must continue! Do not resist! Let us be as one!"
Her eyes still closed, Elsa nodded, resuming her assault on the rock wall. A strange sensation came upon her. She was herself, and yet she was not alone. It was as if two souls inhabited her body. It was not uncomfortable, as she would have expected. Rather, it was soothing, comforting, reassuring. The power of the water spirit mingled with her own, their combined strength surging and rippling over the wall.
The chamber was flooded with pure blue light. Arberish turned to the others, shielding his eyes. "Take cover!" he cried. "The wall! It is working!"
Large cracks began to form in the rock, blue light streaming forth from them. Through the brilliance of the light, Anna and her companions watched in amazement as Elsa's body began to glow, her entire body becoming luminous, a cold wind swirling about her, sending the long strands of hair that had escaped from her braid swirling about her head. Faster and faster the wind blew, the light grew even more intense. The party dove to the ground, covering their heads, prepared for—
A loud explosion rang through the chamber. They cried out involuntarily as they heard large pieces of rock fall about them, their crashes echoing throughout the room.
Opening their eyes, they gasped in astonishment. The entire tunnel had been ripped asunder, revealing warm, golden sunshine. Valanda turned to Alúvelin, staring at her daughter in amazement, words adequate to describe what she was feeling unable to be found.
Elsa opened her eyes, smiling as she realized what had happened. "We did it," she whispered, turning to Elenórathem. "That was . . . That was incredible!"
The spirit of the Eden-stone smiled back at her. "Did you feel like you were about to lose control? Were you afraid?"
"No," Elsa replied. "I felt . . . I felt better than I have ever felt before when using my powers. There was no fear at all. I was calm, I was in control, I was . . . I was peaceful."
Elenórathem took Elsa's hand. "Then, you are truly ready. You have passed the final test. You are the Bearer of Snow I have waited for all these years. Together, there is nothing we cannot do."
Elsa blushed in embarrassment, turning to Arberish. "I . . . I did it!" she said. "I wasn't afraid!" She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him passionately. As she pulled away, she smiled once more. "Thank you for believing in me." She looked at the entire party. "Thank you all."
Alúvelin gestured toward the open wall. "We should go now. We need to move quickly if we are to reach Arendelle before Hans and his army. We must move quickly, yet carefully. Anna cannot be moved at too great a speed. It is not safe for her."
"No!" Anna said. "I can't be the one to slow you down. You need to go without me. I'll . . . I'll be fine."
"Out of the question," Elsa said. "I will not leave you here. You are not giving birth to your children in some isolated cave. For all we know, Hans may have left some of his soldiers in the area to stand guard. They could find you and kill you. Or you could be attacked by more of the wandering freemen. No, Anna. Leaving you behind is unacceptable." She looked at Elenórathem. "Is there anything you can do? Anything at all?"
"You are asking the wrong person," a voice from behind them said. "That question should really be addressed to me."
Elsa turned, her jaw dropping in shock as she saw—
AN: Well, it turns out I was able to get a chapter done today. It would have been up sooner, but I have gotten Type 2 messages all day. I had to overwrite a document I already had online to get this up. What do you think? I have had the idea of a guardian spirit of the Eden-stone in mind for a very long time, shortly after I first introduced it in "Voices." Now seemed the perfect opportunity to finally introduce it. More to come!